photo by K.Lin (Creative Commons Licence)
Japanese Quail Coturnix japonica
Status.
Category E
Native Range
Asia. Breeds in eastern Russia, Mongolia and Japan and winters in Korea and south-east China
Conservation Status
Near Threatened
British Occurrence
NBN atlas has 4 records as at end 2024. Map Here.
Kept for production of quail eggs and for meat with hens for sale at around £5 (in 2017). My own garden and neighbouring ones were visited by numerous Japanese Quails some years ago which I think had escaped from a nearby falconer. The ones that survived the local cats and collisions with greenhouses were housed with the pet rabbit and produced eggs and pleasant chirps for several years.
