Why are quails endangered

Quails August 2, at am. Quails are small birds inhabiting woodlands and forests around the globe. There are many species of quail, varying slightly in appearance and size. They are closely related to the larger pheasants.

There are three subfamilies in the quail family: Old World quails and partridges; New World quails; and true pheasants and seafowls.

Quails can be covered in brown, black, gray, white and blue feathers with a scale-like pattern on some parts of their bodies. Some species of quail have plumes, or topknots, shaped like a teardrop on top of their heads that bob when the quail is walking. Quails can fly short distances, but spend the majority of their time on ground level. Most quails do not migrate, living their lives in one area. They usually settle to the ground by gliding. They can be diurnal, active during the day, or nocturnal, active at night, depending on the species of quail.

Some quails are solitary birds or live in pairs. Other quail species are very social. Some live in small flocks known as coveys.

Quails are omnivores, but prefer a mostly vegetarian diet. They feed on seeds, flowers, barley, wheat and fruits. Characteristics The Himalayan quail is a medium-sized bird belonging to the pheasant family, with distinctive red or yellow bill and legs, and prominent white spots around the eyes.

It has a long covert tail which is longer than most other quails. Males are dark grey with bleak streaks and a white forehead, and females are grayish brown with dark streaks. The last sighting of this bird was a group of a dozen individuals, indicating that they are social birds and generally live in coveys of five to ten. Since they were last seen more than years ago, very little is known about their behaviour and characteristics.

Conservation Issues The species was last seen more than 70 years before independence, which indicates that hunting activities during the colonial period contributed significantly to the decline in its population.

By the s, sightings were extremely rare, with only about 50 individuals left in the wild. Ryan Global won approval days before the election in January to clear land mostly to grow sorghum to feed cattle and expand its numbers on the property from 15, to 25, beasts.

It did not share its plans with the commonwealth, which requires proponents of any development likely to affect protected species to seek approval. The buff-breasted button-quail is among 17 species listed under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act which conservationists say Olive Vale is home to. The clearing was approved under a relaxation of tree clearing laws in what the Newman government described as a bid to enable intensive agriculture but not grazing.

Nielsen, a field naturalist whose work contributed to a joint federal and state recovery plan for the bird, said the clearing should be halted to avoid grave impact on a species close to extinction.