Julian, Maurice and Mort the Button Quails
Hatched: Unknown
Arrived at WSWC: May 20, 2021
Sex: Males
In May 2021, several domestic birds were found abandoned outside a local pet store. Our friends at Raven Ridge Wildlife Center agreed to take in the quail when no one could identify their species. They then transferred the birds to us for continued care. The three smallest birds were Button Quail, also known as King Quail. They had overgrown beaks and nails, plus superficial wounds all over their bodies. The small birds were likely housed with much larger birds before being dumped which caused their wounds. They are now housed together and enjoying a much better life!
Julian passed of suspected congestive heart failure in April 2022. Both Maurice and Mort passed of old age in March and June of 2024.
About Button Quail
Size: Adults are small, only about 4 - 5 inches in length. About the same size as a House Sparrow.
Lifespan: Button Quail can live an average of three to six years in captivity but only live around one to two years in the wild.
Diet: Both plant matter and insects make up a Button Quail’s main food source.
Reproduction: Female Button Quail will usually have more than one mate. Females lay clutches of up to five eggs for the males to incubate. Males also tend to the chicks while the female goes to find another mate.
Range: Button Quail are found in the wild throughout Africa, Australia and parts of Asia. As small flightless companion birds, they are kept as pets.
Other Facts: Button Quail are known by many different names including King Quail, Chinese Painted Quails or Blue Breasted Quail. Button Quail have not been well studied in the wild, and much of what we know about their behavior was learned from captive flocks.