Hey! We are stocky chicken like looking birds called as Jungle Bush Quails. We are an abundantly available Indian bird that has distinct colors on our bodies.
Have a look at important things about us:
- We are shy birds. We are not seen easily as we hide well in our nests. Even in captivity, we need to have a lot of covers to adapt.
- We live in flocks normally but in the breeding season, we disperse into pairs.
- Unlike pheasants, we are monogamous birds (having a single mate in a lifetime). The pair shares a strong bond between them.
- We are very tactical as well as aggressive defenders. We hide our nesting place inside thorny bushes so that no predator could come to us. This is the reason for our name.
- Like many chickens, we cannot fly for long distances.
SOME QUICK FACTS ABOUT US:
Our Scientific Name: Perdicula Asiatica.
Identification: Chicken like stocky birds with brown body and black and white underparts.
Our Habitat: bushes, open deciduous forests, grasslands, and dry scrubs.
Our Range:
Food Habits: Omnivorous; feed mainly on variety of grasses, seeds, maggots, and larvae of small insects.
Breeding Period: September to February.
Number of eggs laid: 4-9 eggs.
Incubation period: about 21 days.
Lifespan: not known.
IUCN red list status: Least Concern.
CITES: Not listed.
Indian Wildlife Protection Act: Schedule IV.
SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Galliformes
Family: Phasianidae
Genus: Perdicula
Species: P. asiatica
COMPLETE DETAILS ABOUT US FOR ANIMAL ENTHUSIASTS:
We are medium-sized fat birds that can look similar to domesticated chicken.
Jungle Bush Bater Quail are scientifically called as Perdicula Asiatica.
HOW WE LOOK:
We are medium-sized stocky birds with a body length of 15.2cm-17.5cm. We are mostly brown in color with white and reddish-orange stripes running along our head and neck from our eyes. Our feathers are mostly brown with black and lightly white spots, patches and stripes. Our underparts are white in color with small black stripes.
Our bill is brown with black tip. Our legs are orangish-yellow in color. We have small spurs on our head. Males and females of our species look alike. Males have non-uniform spots or patches on the feathers while females have them uniformly. The young ones are dark and dull in color.
WE ARE FOUND IN:
We can be found in bushes, open deciduous forests, grasslands, and dry scrubs. We usually nest om thorny bushes to avoid predators.
Our range lies in India from Kashmir and Himalayas to Kerala and Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka.
WHAT WE EAT:
We are omnivorous birds and we feed on variety of grasses, seeds, maggots, and larvae of small insects.
OUR REPRODUCTION:
We are monogamous birds meaning we have single mate in a lifetime. We form very strong bond with the mate. We usually live in small flocks. In breeding season, we disperse a little as males become aggressive and territorial.
Our breeding season is from September to February. We usually nest in a bare hollow inside a thorny bush. Females lay 4-9 eggs and the incubation period is about 21 days. Incubation is done by female alone however the young chicks are taken care of and fed by both parents.
MORE ABOUT US:
We are very shy species and often hide from sight in the wild. In captivity, we require heavy cover to remain peaceful.
In breeding season, males become aggressive and territorial. They also protect and defend the young chicks and female aggressively.
Like chicken, we cannot fly. However, when flushed or in case of emergency, we fly for a short distance.
OUR CONSERVATION:
We are abundantly available in our range and are not under any threat. We are listed as “Least Concern” in the red list of IUCN. All the quails including us are protected in India under the Indian Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 Schedule IV.
