Quail | |
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Brown Quail, Coturnix ypsilophora | |
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Quail [pronounced Kwāl] is a collective name for several genera of mid-sized birds in the order Galliformes. The birds in this group are often referred to as "fowl".
Old World quail are in the family Phasianidae, and New World quail are found in the family Odontophoridae. Many of the common larger species are farm-raised for table food or egg consumption, and are hunted on game farms or in the wild, where they may be released to supplement the wild population, or extend into areas outside their natural range. Quail are also raised as pets.
The collective noun for a group of quail is a flock, covey[1] or bevy.[2]