Japanese quail

Scientific name: Coturnix japonica

How weight is recorded: Whole weight

Field notes

Appearance

Compact game bird with warm buff and brown plumage heavily marked with darker streaking. Males display a distinctive russet face and throat; females are paler with spotted underparts. Both sexes show white eyebrow stripe.

Size and weight

Males 85–115 g, females 90–120 g; body length 16–18 cm.

Habitat

Japanese quail favor open grasslands, cultivated fields, and scrubby brush with low vegetation. They prefer warm, dry terrain at low to moderate elevations.

Distribution

Native to East Asia (Japan, China, Korea); widely introduced globally for farming and sport. Inhabits grasslands and agricultural margins.

Diet

Primarily small seeds from grasses and weeds; also forages on insects, particularly during breeding season.

Behaviour

Diurnal and crepuscular; solitary or in small loose flocks outside breeding season. Run and crouch rather than flush; fly short distances explosively when flushed.

Hunting tips

Glass open ground at dawn and dusk for feeding birds; listen for males' sharp calls. Walk slowly through grass to flush birds; expect short, low flights. Mark fallen birds carefully as they freeze and are difficult to relocate.

Whole weight

This species is logged by whole weight — the animal weighed entire, as taken.

Where it is hunted

Listed as huntable in 1 country in Huntify.

Japan

Names in other languages

These field notes are general species knowledge, not legal advice. Always check the current seasons, quotas and firearm rules where you hunt.