| Old World quail | |
|---|---|
| |
| Brown quail, Synoicus ypsilophorus | |
Scientific classification
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Galliformes |
| Family: | Phasianidae |
| Subfamily: | Phasianinae |
| Tribe: | Coturnicini |
| Groups included | |
| Cladistically included but traditionally excluded taxa | |
Old World quail is a collective name for several genera of mid-sized birds in the tribe Coturnicini of the pheasant family Phasianidae. Although all species commonly referred to as "Old World quail" are in the same tribe, they are paraphyletic with respect to the other members of the tribe, such as Alectoris, Tetraogallus, Ammoperdix, Margaroperdix, and Pternistis.[2]
New World quail are also found in the Galliformes, but are not in the same family (Odontophoridae). Buttonquails are not closely related at all, but are named for their similar appearance.[3] They are presently placed in the family Turnicidae of the Charadriiformes, classified as shorebirds.
The collective noun for a group of quail is flock, bevy or covey.[4]
- ^ Phillips, Lori Byrd (March 8, 2012). "Wikipedia Image of the Week #2". Wikipedia in Residence. Children's Museum of Indianapolis. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
- ^ "Galliformes". bird-phylogeny (in German). Retrieved 2021-08-21.
- ^ "Quail Information, including listing of species and photos". Beauty Of Birds. 12 July 2023.
- ^ USGS – Animal Congregations, or What Do You Call a Group Archived 2015-03-20 at the Wayback Machine