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Blue Quail

Synoicus adansonii

Number Of Mature
Individuals (Regional)

NA

Regional
Population Trend

Unknown

na

2025
Regional Category

NA

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CONTENTS
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    Overview

    Names

    IOC English Name:

    Blue Quail

    SA & IOC Scientific Name:

    Synoicus adansonii

    BirdLife International Taxonomy (scientific name):

    Synoicus adansonii

    Order:

    GALLIFORMES

    Family:

    Phasianidae

    Species name author:

    Verreaux J and Verreaux É 1851

    Afrikaans:

    Bloukwartel

    Sesotho (South Africa):

    Kwekwe e talalehodimo

    Sesotho (Lesotho):

    Siswati:

    isiZulu:

    isagwacesibhakabhaka

    Current Assessment Status

    2025 Regional Category [Criteria]

    NA

    2024 Global Category [Criteria]

    LC (BirdLife International 2024a)

    Population size (Regional)

    N/A

    Population size (Global)

    Unknown (BirdLife International 2024a)

    Distribution size (EOO) (Regional) km2

    N/A

    Distribution size (EOO) (Global) km2

    14 800 000 (BirdLife International 2024a)

    Distribution size (AOO) (Regional) km2

    N/A

    Generation time

    3.54

    Status change reason

    Error Correction

    Migrant (in the region)

    N/A

    Regional endemic

    No

    Historic Listing Information

    2000 Regional Status

    Not Evaluated

    2015 Regional Status

    RE

    Status change reason (if applicable)

    –

    2015 Population size (Regional)

    N/A

    2015 Global Status

    LC

    Reason for Inclusion

    Reason for Inclusion in the Assessment

    The Blue Quail Synoicus adansonii was assessed as Regionally Extinct in 2015 and therefore included in the assessment (Taylor et al. 2015).

    Category Justification

    Category Justification

    The regional population of the Blue Quail is assessed as Not Applicable, i.e. it is unlikely the species historically hosted >5% of the global population. The species has disappeared from the region with the last sighting of an individual recorded in 1973 (Cyrus and Robson 1980).

    Population Justification

    The Blue Quail is a wary, secretive bird occurring singularly, in pairs or small loose groups, is rainfall dependent, nomadic and is reluctant to flush (Little and Crowe 2011). These attributes make it difficult to estimate population size hence the unknown global or historical regional population sizes. The last published mention of the species was in 1973 of a bird found dead in Durban (Cyrus and Robson 1980). Clancy (1964) describes the species as a sparse summer breeding resident to KwaZulu Natal during the months September to March with some birds over wintering. Tarboton et al. (1987) describe the species as a vagrant to the old Transvaal Province. Brooke (1984) indicated the species was a vagrant to the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu Natal. Only nine records for southern Africa, all from Zimbabwe were recorded between 1987 and 1991 during the first South African Bird Atlas Project (SABAP) (Little and Crowe 2011). There are currently seven Southern African records in the SABAP2 (2007- ongoing) database; six from Mozambique (three of the records seen in the same area within the same month suggesting it might be the same individual) and one from the border region between Zambia and Zimbabwe. The last recorded sighting of the species within the region was more than six decades ago and therefore the species is considered extinct within the region. Historical evidence indicates that the species would not meet the 5% population regional filter and therefore not qualify for a regional category and therefore it is assessed as Not Applicable.

    Trend Justification

    An analysis of population trends is not possible as no information exists on population estimates.

    Biology & Ecology

    Taxonomy

    Monotypic. The species was previously placed in the genus Coturnix and included in the species Coturnix chinensis together with the King Quail. Subsequently it has been moved to the genus Synoicus based on phylogenetic analysis (BirdLife International 2024b).

    Identification

    12–14 cm, 43–47 g. Sexes are dimorphic in plumage colouration. The male is a uniform blue-black colour from forehead to rump. The malar area, throat and upper breast are white bordered black with a black median throat stripe. The lower breast to vent is slate grey. The flanks and sides of breast are chestnut streaked blue grey. Eyes are dark red and legs and feet bright yellow. The upper mandible is black while the lower mandible is a dark blue (Taylor 2005). The female has a general brown appearance. There is a pale median crown stripe. Upper parts are faintly streaked buff, mottled and vermiculated rufous and black. Underparts are barred black from the neck downwards. As with the male the eyes are red, but the yellow legs are duller. The bill is horn coloured Taylor 2005).

    The males are easily separated from other possible congeners (Harlequin Quail Coturnix delegorguei and Common Quail C. coturnix) by its overall slate blue colour, rufous coloured upper wing and tail, black and white pattern on the throat and breast, bright yellow legs and feet. The female is distinguished from congeners by having dark barred underparts. The Blue Quail can be confused with the buttonquails which are similar in size but have contrasting pale upper wing coverts and dark remiges (Taylor 2005). The species may also be confused with escaped King Quail Synoicus chinensis, a common bird in the pet trade (where it is known by various names including amongst other Chinese Quail, Painted Quail and Asian Blue Quail). Male King Quails are greyish brown above always with black mottling, with a less extensive black triangular throat patch and the white is restricted to the throat and does not extend onto the upper breast. The chestnut on the flanks is not as extensive and restricted to the outer webs of the primary and lowest row of median coverts. The females are generally paler with the underparts having fainter barring which is restricted to the flanks and upper breast. The crown is a distinctive dark brown whereas that on the Blue Quail is an extension of the colour on the upper parts (Ginn et al. 1989).

    Distribution

    The species is endemic to Africa with the range extending from Sierra Leone westwards to southwestern Ethiopia and then southwards to Angola, Zimbabwe, Eswatini and eastern South Africa. It is absent from central Tanzania and the forest of western and western central Africa (McGowan and Kirwan 2020). In the region the species was described as a sparse summer breeding resident in KwaZulu-Natal with some overwintering birds (Clancy 1964) and a vagrant in the old Transvaal (present day Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Gauteng and portion of the Northwest Provinces) province (Tarboton et al. 1987). Several references indicated that the distribution range extended along the coastal region into the Eastern Cape (Mackworth-Praed and Grant 1952, McLachlan and Liversidge 1958, Clancy 1967, Brooke 1984).

    Ecology

    Habitat:

    The species can be found in open to dense grassy habitat often along watercourses, swamps, rice fields and borders of cultivation up to 2100 m. In Sierra Leone they also occur on granite outcrops (Taylor 2005, McGowan and Kirwan 2020).

    Migration:

    Very little is known about the movement patterns of the species, but it is believed to be resident, nomadic and an intra-African migrant depending on area within the distribution range (Taylor 2005). In Sierra Leone the birds are non-breeding migrants, but in other areas like Ghana, they are mostly recorded during the rainy season, but some birds do remain over the dry season. In South Africa they were believed to be breeding summer visitors moving northwards in winter (McGowan and Kirwan 2020), However Clancy 1964 indicated that some birds overwinter suggesting that some birds may have been resident. Tree (1997) suggests that the southward movement of birds in southern Africa occurs when there is a strong southward movement and establishment of the Inter Tropical Convergent zone during the period November to January creating wetter conditions than normal.

    Breeding:

    In southern Africa breeding occurs in summer from January to April. The nest is constructed at the base of a grass clump and is a thickly padded cup of dry grass stems (Tarboton 2001). Clutch size is usually 3-9 eggs, incubated for 16 days presumably only by the female, although some males have well developed brood patches (Ginn et al 1989). The fledgling period of the precocial chicks is unknown with both parents caring for the chicks (Tarboton 2001, Little and Crowe 2011). There is a single breeding record for the region dated March 1925, KwaZulu Natal (Little and Crowe 2011).

    Diet:

    The diet consists of seeds (grass and weeds) green plant matter termites, other insects and their larva, and molluscs (Taylor 2005, McGowan and Kirwan 2020).

    Threats & Conservation

    Threats

    The threats to Blue Quail are poorly understood. On the Mozambique coastal plain the species is thought to be impacted by human disturbance and replacement of natural vegetation (Parker 1999). It is probable that the degradation of wetland habitat may be responsible for the paucity of sightings within South Africa (Tree 1997, Little and Crowe 2011). The latter authors also mention the possibility of interbreeding with King Quail that have escaped from captivity but indicate that the likelihood of this occurring is minimal as the survival of these cage birds in the wild would be unlikely.

    Conservation Measures Underway

    There are no conservation measures currently in place for this species

    Conservation Measures Proposed

    Historically the species occurred in KwaZulu Natal and Eastern Cape Provinces and was probably a vagrant to the Mpumalanga and Limpopo Provinces. Even though the distribution within the region was relatively extensive the literature indicates that numbers were low. There would be very little conservation value to reintroduce the species to the region and this should be seen as a low priority. Other than recording and monitoring sightings of the species, no other measures are proposed.

    Research Priorities and Questions

    Research on the regionally extinct Blue Quail would be a low priority, but academically it might be of interest to determine why the species has vanished from the region.

    Contributors & References

    Assessor/s

    Kevin Shaw

    Reviewer/s

    Sanjo Rose

    References

    BirdLife International. 2024a. Synoicus adansonii. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2024: e.T22678971A263615543. Available: https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2024-2.RLTS.T22678971A263615543.en. [Accessed on 04 March 2025].

    BirdLife International. 2024b. Species factsheet: African Blue Quail Synoicus adansonii. Available: https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/african-blue-quail-synoicus-adansonii. [Accessed on 04 March 2025].

    Clancy PA. 1964. The Birds of Natal and Zululand. Edinburgh: Oliver& Boyd Ltd.

    Clancy PA. 1967. Gamebirds of Southern Africa. Cape Town: Purnell & Sons (S.A.) (Pty.) Ltd.

    Cyrus D, Robson N. 1980. Bird atlas of Natal. Pietermaritzburg: University of Natal Pres.

    Ginn PJ, McIlleron WG, Milstein P le S (eds). 1989. The complete book of southern African birds. Struik, Cape Town.

    Little R, Crowe T. 2011. Gamebirds of southern Africa. Cape Town, South Africa: Struik Nature.

    Mackworth-Praed CW, Grant CHB. 1952. Birds of eastern and north eastern Africa. London: Longmans, Green and Co.

    McGowan PJK, Kirwan GM. 2020. Blue Quail (Synoicus adansonii), version 1.0. In: del Hoyo J, Elliott A, Sargatal J, Christie DA, de Juana E (eds), Birds of the World. Ithaca, NY, USA: Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Available: https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.bluqua1.01.

    McLachlan GRM, Liversidge R. 1958. Roberts Birds of South Africa. Cape Town: Cape Times Unlimited.

    Parker V. 1999. The Atlas of the Birds of Sul do Save, Southern Mozambique. Cape Town and Johannesburg: Avian Demography Unit and Endangered Wildlife Trust.

    Tarboton WR, Kemp MI, Kemp AC. 1987. Birds of the Transvaal. Pretoria: Transvaal Museum.

    Tarboton W. 2001. A guide to the nests & eggs of southern African birds. Cape Town: Struik Publishers (Pty) Ltd.

    Tree AJ. 1997. Blue Quail Coturnix adansonii. In: Harrison. JA, Allan, DG, Underhill, LG, Herremans, M, Tree, AJ, Parker, V and Brown, CJ (eds), The atlas of southern African birds. Vol1: Non-passerines. Johannesburg: Birdlife South Africa. pp 304.

    Taylor PB. 2005. Blue Quail Coturnix adansonii. In: Hockey PAR, Dean WRJ, Ryan PG (eds), Roberts – Birds of Southern Africa, 7thEdn. Cape Town: The Trustees of the John Voelcker Bird Book Fund. pp 78–79.

    Taylor MR, Peacock F, Wanless RW (eds). 2015. The Eskom Red Data Book of Birds of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland. Johannesburg, South Africa: BirdLife South Africa.

    Citation

    Shaw K 2025. Blue Quail. In: Lee ATK, Rose S, Banda S, Bezeng SB, Maphalala MI, Maphisa DH, Smit-Robinson H (eds), The 2025 Red Data Book of Birds of South Africa, Lesotho and Eswatini. Johannesburg, South Africa: BirdLife South Africa. Available at: https://www.birdlife.org.za/red-list/blue-quail/

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