. red chested button quail
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- An Australian Quail
- Scientific Name: Turnix
pyrrothorax
- Common Name/s: RED
CHESTED BUTTON QUAIL, CHESTNUT BREASTED BUTTON QUAIL.
- Sub Species in country / area of origin:
None
- Origin / Distribution: Most of the
eastern side of Australia and the top of Northern Territory and top
of Western Australia. Not in Tasmania.
- Habitat In Wild: Prefers native
grasslands.
- Status In Wild: Declining due to
loss of suitable habitat. Does not seem to have adapted to
cereal and farmland to the same extent as many of the other Button
quail species.
- Status In (Australian) Captivity:
Secure, but not common.
- Age To Sexual Maturity: about
6 months
- Adult plumage: attained at about
3
months
- Best breeding years (estimate): 6
months to about 3rd year
- Sexing: Monomorphic / Dimorphic
- Colour mutations: None
- Availability: Bird dealers and
specialist breeders.
- Temperament: Generally suitable
with finches and small parrots in a planted aviary with a layer of
leaf litter. One pair per aviary, but more than one cock bird may
be run with one hen if housed in a large planted aviary. Clipping
of wing feather flights may be considered for flighty birds.
- Cost (Victoria) Per Pair: -
Normal colour (Approx.) $300
- Description Of Adults: Generally
the hens are larger than the cock birds but the difference is less
than that of the other Button quail..
- Length: Approx. 130 - 160 mm (or approx 5 - 6
inches)
- Colour ( "normal" colour ): Refer
photo/s above if available.
- Weight: Approx. 50 - 75 gms (or approx 2 - 3 ozs)
Aviary
Notes:
Level Of Knowledge Required: Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced / Specialist
Breeders Only.
Government Regulations & By-Laws:
Refer to " Government Laws " web page.
Housing Requirements: Refer to "
Quail " web page for general
details on the housing of Quail or read on for specific details for
this bird.
Compatible with most finches, small
parrots, doves and pigeons. Best breeding results are with one pair per
aviary. Likes to have low growing shrubs with leaf litter and
growing tall grasses or cereal grains (eg. wheat) will help this species
feel happy and secure.
If quail are startled they tend to fly
off the floor at a steep angle and often hit the roof at a solid speed.
This can cause severe head injuries or at worst the death of the quail.
Wing feather clipping can minimize this potential problem. Wing
feather clipping also minimizes the risk of the quail flying into or
onto the finch nesting sites and disturbing the nesting or roosting
finches and/or small parrots.
Diet / Feeding: Refer to "
Quail " web page for general
details on the feeding of Quail or read on for specific details for
this bird.
Good quality finch or small parrot mix
plus insects and vegetable green foods and seeding grasses as per
"Quail" web page. May eat some of the commercial poultry pellets.
Adequate supply of insects is essential at breeding time.
Nesting:
- Nesting months: May
breed year round. Seasons spring to autumn are generally the
most productive.
- Nest location: On the
floor in a nest usually at the back of the aviary in a
secluded spot.
- Nest material: They
may build a substantial nest of dry grasses and other materials and
lined with soft materials.
- Who incubates the egg/s:
Hen
/ Cock / both share.
Breeding: Egg Colour
Buff white. Clutch/s per year.. multiple. Eggs per
nest 3 -5. Incubation
approx. 14 days.
Independent approx. 3 - 4 weeks.
Compatible with most finches, small
parrots, doves and pigeons. Best breeding results are with one pair per
aviary. Once the hen has laid a full clutch many aviculturalists
will remove the hen so the cock bird is not distracted from his duty of
incubating the eggs and raising the young. When the babies hatch the cock bird supplies
food from his beak directly into the babies beak. Generally the
hen does not get involved in the feeding and raising of the young.
The young will start to feed themselves during the second week.
The cock bird will offer the young food till they become independent at
the about the 3rd or 4th week.
They may develop strong pair bonds.
Artificial incubation and hand
rearing or fostering will not be covered on this web site. It is
too complex and diverse in nature to be attempted here.
Health Issues: Refer to "Avian
Health Issues" web page for information and references.
- Worming and parasite control
and Quarantine requirements of new bird/s or sick bird/s are
considered to require veterinary advice and therefore not covered on
this web site. Refer "Avian Health Issues"
web page option.
- Avian medicine is advancing
at a rapid pace. Keep updating your knowledge and skills.
General
References: Refer to references listed on "Book References"
web page.
Specific
References:
- Australian Aviculture
-
A/A Vol 59 No. 8 Aug 2005 Page
184.
- A/A Vol 53 No. 11 Nov 1999 Page 243-246 (Inc photo)
- A/A Vol 50 No. 4 Apr 1996 Page 82-88
- A/A Vol 35 No. 7
Jul 1981 Page 141-142 (Inc photo)
- A/A Vol 25 No. 6 Jun 1971 Page 83-84.
- A/A Vol 12 No 3 Mar 1958 Page 47-43.
- Australian Birdkeeper
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