Interestingly enough, we found another escapee bird, the second one this year ! Roughly three months ago on March 19, i found on the void deck in my area a Green Cheeked Conure and called ACRES ( Animals Concerns Research and Education Society ) for help.
Last night, my neighbour saw a bird and together we managed to corner it just outside my house ! The bird was not weak but was indeed very shy and very difficult to catch because of its small size and it manage to hide in various corners of the common corridor areas. After finally securing it, i called ACRES again fearing that this escapee (probably someone's pet would be killed by a cat or dog eventually). The volunteer on duty picked up the phone and wa sat my doorstep within 40 minutes ! Yet again amazing work from this group of volunteers. Initially i thought the bird was a button quail, but later after asking a experience bird photographer, i found out it was a King Quail or Blue-breasted Quail (Coturnix chinensis) and the King Quail is female. It is my first step seeing this beauty up close.
The next day ACRES called me to inform me that if the Quail was doing ok, it will be released to the wild, if not it will be passed over to the Jurong Bird Park.
Rare resident breeder
Local subspecies: chinensis
Length: 12-14 cm
Habitat: Grassland
Distribution: India, China, SE Asia, Australia
Breeding: All year round
Diet: Grains, seeds, leaves, insects, worms
Last night, my neighbour saw a bird and together we managed to corner it just outside my house ! The bird was not weak but was indeed very shy and very difficult to catch because of its small size and it manage to hide in various corners of the common corridor areas. After finally securing it, i called ACRES again fearing that this escapee (probably someone's pet would be killed by a cat or dog eventually). The volunteer on duty picked up the phone and wa sat my doorstep within 40 minutes ! Yet again amazing work from this group of volunteers. Initially i thought the bird was a button quail, but later after asking a experience bird photographer, i found out it was a King Quail or Blue-breasted Quail (Coturnix chinensis) and the King Quail is female. It is my first step seeing this beauty up close.
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| King Quail in the capable hands of the ACRES volunteer |
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| King Quail in the capable hands of the ACRES volunteers |
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| Caught the King Quail at last |
The next day ACRES called me to inform me that if the Quail was doing ok, it will be released to the wild, if not it will be passed over to the Jurong Bird Park.
About King Quail (source: Singapore Birds)
Also known as King Quail. This is a small bird, in fact the smallest of the Old World Quails. Difficult to see in the field due to it shy nature, always hidden among the tall grass. Male has a blue breast, rusty belly, black throat and white moustaches. Female is slightly larger and generally brown with dark bars. The only bird that it may be confused with is the Barred Buttonquail, which belongs to another order. Sighted at Changi, Lor Halus, Neo Tiew, Pulau Punggol, Punggol, Sungei Buloh, Tuas.Rare resident breeder
Local subspecies: chinensis
Length: 12-14 cm
Habitat: Grassland
Distribution: India, China, SE Asia, Australia
Breeding: All year round
Diet: Grains, seeds, leaves, insects, worms
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