Eastern and south-eastern Queensland to south-eastern South Australia and west to western Eyre Peninisula, SA, and southern Western Australia coastally north to Shark Bay. Rare in Tasmania, with only three published records since 1977.
Rarity Status
Currently this species is not classified as a rarity in this country OR information has not been updated.
Population
Estimated population is unknown (2010).
Stubble Quail (Coturnix pectoralis) [XC166677]
by Greg McLachlan from Lake Pleasantview, Western Australia, Australia (call)
Stubble Quail (Coturnix pectoralis) [XC605784]
by Eddy Smith from Wallaroo, Yass Valley Council, New South Wales, Australia (call)
Breeding Season (Guide)
August - April, depending upon rainfall.
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Nest
A depression in the ground, lined with grass, placed in the shelter of a tuft of grass or a low bush, sometimes in standing crops.
Eggs (Guide)
7 - 14; pale creamy buff, uniformly covered with irregular freckles and blotches of umber or dusky; oval to pyriform; about 30 x 23 mm. Incubation: about 21 days; by female.
Young
Precocial, nidifugous.
Subspecies
Some authors include in superspecies formed by Common Quail (Coturnix coturnix) and Japanese Quail (Coturnix japonica). Sometimes considered a subspecies of extinct New Zealand Quail (Coturnix novaezelandiae) of New Zealand.
No subspecies.
Similar Species
Brown Quail (Synoicus ypsilophorus) which is darker brown or a reddish brown, lacks the white eye-brow, and also makes a metallic whistling sound, as opposed to a whirring sound, when flushed.
References
See References.
The Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Pizzey, G., and Knight, E., 1997, Angus & Robertson, Sydney ISBN 0 207 19691 5
Field Guide to Australian Birds Morecombe, M., 2000, Steve Parish Publishing Pty Ltd. ISBN 1 876282 10 X
Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Simpson, K., and Day, N., 1999, 6th Edition, Viking ISBN 0 670 87918 5
Reader's Digest Complete Book of Australian Birds 1988, 2nd Edition, Reader's Digest ISBN 0 949819 99 9
What Bird is That? 1984, Revised Edition, Angus & Robertson, Sydney ISBN 0 207 14846 5
Handbook of Australian, New Zealand & Antarctic Birds 1990 - , Oxford University Press, Melbourne ISBN 0 19 553244 9
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BirdLife International Species Factsheet