MIGRATION: A FLIGHT FOR SURVIVAL
he small, seemingly shy
Common Quail Coturnix
coturnix prefers to stay
hidden amongst the rough
grasses of farmland as it forages with
its long, sharp claws for insects and
seeds. Birdwatchers have a much better
chance of hearing their characteristic
call than seeing them. Their secretive
behaviour is for their own good, since
unfortunately when they do encounter
humans it is often at their peril.
This bird’s small and stocky build
gives no allusion to the impressive
flying feats this species is capable of.
These birds habitually avoid flying:
if disturbed, they prefer to either
run away or ‘freeze’, hoping to go
unnoticed. However, this changes in a
spectacular fashion when, using their
disproportionately long and powerful
wings, they take to the skies to migrate
between their breeding grounds in
northern Europe and wintering grounds
in the Sahel belt of sub-Saharan Africa.
This makes them the only species of
their order (which includes pheasants,
partridges and grouse) which migrate.
Interestingly, not all Common
Quails migrate - the tendency to do
so is determined genetically. Within
a population, some individuals will
perform long migrations, some
may only migrate to the southern
Mediterranean, and others will not
migrate at all. The proportion of quails
that migrate is declining and there
are two suggestions as to why. Firstly,
recurring droughts since the 1970s
have disrupted wintering grounds,
making individuals that migrate only
a short distance (or not at all) more
likely to survive. The second theory
is that by introducing non-migratory
Japanese Quail Coturnix japonica into
populations to replenish game stock,
the gene pool is being flooded with
sedentary genes. The efforts of those
that do migrate along the Eastern
T
COMMON QUAIL
FACT FILE
WINGSPAN: 32-35 CM
TOP SPEED: 60 KM/H
THREATS: TRAPPING,
HABITAT LOSS
APR-JUN 2019 • BIRDLIFE
Not all quails migrate – but those that
do can travel astonishing distances.
Taking off from the Sahel belt of
Sub-saharan Africa, they use their
unusually long wings to follow the Nile
before crossing the Mediterranean Sea
and arriving in Europe.
COMMON QUAIL
MIGRATION
ROUTE
route are all too often wasted after
completing their epic flight across
the Mediterranean. Having journeyed
across the sea they fly low, heading
for a place to rest, but instead find
themselves caught up in vast nets,
particularly in Egypt.
Historically, quails have been an
important food source to Egyptians and
the consumption of their meat, though
limited by quotas, is legal. However,
with advances in hunting methods over
the last century, the odds have become
increasingly stacked against them.
Electronic devices placed under nets
play recordings of quail song to lure
massive numbers towards the traps.
Additionally, lack of policing means that
regulations on net size, spacing and
time of year are ignored – including
trapping in springtime, which is illegal.
These practices, along with the poor
enforcement of catch restrictions,
means quail trapping is taking place at
an unsustainable, commercial scale.
On top of this, it’s not just qthe uails
that get caught in the nets. The trapped
quails often entice predatory birds
such as Merlin Falco columbarius and
Eurasian Sparrowhawks Accipiter nisus
towards what looks like an easy meal.
Nature Conservation Egypt (NCE,
BirdLife Partner) has been working with
the government to simplify the nation’s
often complex anti-poaching laws, and
to get them properly enforced on the
ground – with emphasis on preventing
the use of electronic calling devices.
Tourism is a principal source of
income for Egypt and NCE works with
the industry to ensure its practices
are not environmentally damaging.
By introducing communities to
birdwatching, for example, it
demonstrates how nature can generate
income and boost the local economy.
More importantly, the locals can
develop an appreciation and interest
in Egypt’s birdlife that goes far beyond
their trapping and consumption.
An Egyptian hunter brings home
a couple of freshly caught quail for
dinner. It’s how he feeds his family,
a tradition passed through countless
generations. But consider nets spanning
hundreds of kilometres, trapping tens
of millions of birds each year - this is
no longer mere subsistence, but an
industrial-scale problem. Let’s not
allow this to become the third and final
reason for Common Quail to cease
migrating.
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