Jungle
bush quail bird is one of the species of quails found in South Asia. The
bird is usually seen in small coveys and is quite shy by nature. One can
get a glimpse of the Jungle bush quails of India mainly when they burst
out into flight from under the vegetation.
Physical Traits
The average height of Jungle bush quail is around 6.5 inches. The head
of a male quail is red in color and has a slight brown mottling on top.
The breast is speckled with white and black color. The back is spotted
with black, brown and yellow. The female is also quite similar to the
male, but the breast is speckled with pink/red instead of black and
white.
Behavior
Jungle bush quail is a very shy bird and is observed to be quite wary
in the wild. They love to absorb sunrays and require a lot of grassy
cover to adapt themselves to captivity. The male Jungle bush quail is
very protective of the female as well as the newly hatched chicks.
Jungle bush quails are gregarious by nature and are usually found in
tight coveys of approximately a dozen birds. However, the males turn
extremely aggressive as well as territorial during the mating season.
Diet
Jungle bush quail survives on a diet comprising of a variety of grass
and weed seeds, like pannicum, millet, maw and lentils. They also eat
maggots and small insect larvae.
Natural Habitat
The natural habitat of the Jungle bush quails mostly consists of the
Indian dry grasslands. However, one can also find the bird in the wooded
areas of the country. Apart from India, Jungle Bush Quail bird is found
in Sri Lanka.
Mating Behavior
Male Jungle Bush Quails attain maturity at about 6 months of age. The
eggs are laid on consecutive days during the spring season i.e., around
mid-April. The number of eggs laid falls between five and seven and is
usually an odd number. The incubation period ranges from 19 to 20 days.
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