The under-reported pictures show you a nice male of the European quail, born in my aviaries during the breeding season of 2020.
He is a little bit darker than most of the other breeding males I have, but we always have to keep in mind that variations exist, also in nature.
This species has indeed a very large repartition range from Europe to Asia, and already in Europe significant color differences are visible between our birds and those of Eastern Europe.
Because I don’t have enough females, he will be not paired and remain as a reservist.
It is a little bit sad this year because three other very nice-typed male birds also have no female for this new season…
Male of European quail (Coturnix coturnix) from November 2015.
I share with you a few pictures I just found back on my computer of a male of European quail acquired by my good friend, the Belgian judge of ornithology Jean-Paul DAMOISEAU, in November 2015.
This birds was one of my very first animals of this wonderful species and significantly contributed to the developing of the nice bloodlines I now have.
Already at that time, it was not very easy to find and to obtain good animals: pure and small-sized. It is certainly a blessing to have had this friend, this great connoisseur, to give me birds of his breeding which allowed me to move forward.
This male was pictured on November 02th, 2015. Enjoy!
European wild quails, juveniles (Coturnix coturnix) from spring 2020.
European wild quails (Coturnix coturnix), breed 2020.
September 2019, European quail (Coturnix coturnix) breeding cages before the ending of the breeding season for this species.
Harlequin quail x European quail hybrids, young birds 2 months old
European quail (Coturnix coturnix), some breeding birds (2019)
Harlequin quail x European quail hybrids chicks, born June 2019
Successful hybridization between a pure male of harlequin quail (Coturnix delegorguei) and a pure female of european quail (Coturnix coturnix).
This hybridization was not so easy to achieve because the females of European quail lay few eggs and are often aggressive against their male.
These chicks were born on June 22th, 2019.
Later I will post pictures of them when they will have reached their final size and adult colouration.