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Quail

Quail And People

Most species of quail are economically important as game birds and are hunted for sport or as source of wild meat. However, quail are easily over-hunted, so it is important to conserve their populations.

Quail are also kept in captivity in zoos, parks, and private aviaries, although this is somewhat less common than with pheasants and peafowl, which are larger, more colorful birds.

Unfortunately, some species of quail are becoming endangered in their native habitats. This is partly due to excessive hunting, but more important in many cases are losses of the natural habitat of these birds. These ecological changes are largely due to agricultural conversions of natural habitats that quail require, and to other human influences.


Resources

Books

Alderton, D. The Atlas of Quails. Neptune City, NJ: TFH Publications, 1992.

Bird Families of the World. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998.

Forshaw, Joseph. Encyclopedia of Birds. New York: Academic Press, 1998.

Johnsgard, P.A. Quails, Partridges, and Francolins of the World. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988.


Bill Freedman

KEY TERMS

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Monogamy

—A system in which a male and female form a pair that cooperates in breeding.

Polygyny

—A breeding system in which a male will attempt to breed with as many females as possible. In birds, the female of a polygynous species usually incubates the eggs and raises the babies unaided by the male.

Sexual selection

—This is a type of natural selection in which anatomical or behavioral traits may be favored because they confer some advantage in courtship or another aspect of breeding. For example, the bright coloration, long tail, and elaborate displays of male pheasants have resulted from sexual selection by females, who apparently favor extreme expressions of these traits in their mates.

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