Scientific name: Coturnix coturnix (Linnaeus, 1758)
Bird group: Game birds
Field characters. 16-18 cm. A tiny Grey Partridge-like bird which is usually detected by characteristic call of male. Body mainly sandy, barred with dark brown and pale buff above; underparts paler and flanks streaked with buff and white. Crown dark brown with buff streak down centre; buff stripe from above eye down to base of neck. Male has buffish or chestnut throat bordered by black band and with black central stripe, the last being absent in the female; throat patch of female paler and chest spotted black. Juvenile like adult female but without black lines on throat and lower cheeks; flanks barred and spotted, not streaked. At all ages bill grey, legs and feet pale yellow-pink or brown-flesh.
Voice. Characteristic, tri-syllabic call of male is a liquid "quic, qui-ic", which is repeated often.
Distribution. Scarce summer visitor in north, common in south.
Habitat. In the breeding season essentially a bird of agricultural country, but it occurs also on grasslands and steppe.
Food. Omnivorous feeder, taking chiefly seeds and insects, which are found on the ground by scraping and digging with feet and beak.