SEPTEMBER, 1975 3 QUAILS IN MID-NORTHERN SOUTH AUSTRALIA L. P. PEDLER Accepted August, 1975 The main purpose of this paper is to record 1975, 1 km north of the previous locality, in large extensions of range which I have observed long grass and weeds at the edge of the of Brown Quail Coturnix ypsilophorus, Painted Broughton River, near a spot known locally as Quail Turnix varia and possibly King Quail White Cliff. One Brown Quail was flushed Coturnix chinensis. Notes are also included on there on April 29, 1975, and on May 10 my observations of Stubble Quail Coturnix two were flushed together near the same place. pectoralis and Little Quail T'urnix velox during On both occasions the birds were seen as they the last two years, mainly on my father's mixed flew away to dense tangled rushes funcus pal­ farming property between Koolunga and Yacka. lidus in a swampy area near the river. As in the first sighting, the birds were only about 1 STUBBLE QUAIL Coturnix pectoralis ­ metre' away and in the path of the observer This species is common throughout the year before they flew, again appearing evenly brown in crops, stubbles and pastures and the birds all over and darker than a Stubble Quail. seem to stay in pairs all the year round. Because A better view was obtained when two quail of the dry season so far in 1975 (July), many were again flushed at White Cliff on May 24, Stubble Quail seem to be congregating in the and one of them landed only 15 metres away remaining areas of good cover, mainly dry grass on almost bare ground. It sat still for some in the hills. In these areas groups of up to time, then ran a few metres to cover. The 12 quail are frequently flushed; but pairs reunite quail's upperparts were dark mottled grey­ quickly by means of quiet calls. A few birds brown, sparsely streaked with narrow pale lines. remain in the short pastures, roadsides and Its undersides were paler brown and barred . remaining .stubbles, The loud three-note call with narrow black markings. The eye was is usually heard from about July to January. reddish-brown and the beak dark blue-grey. On In the .good seasons of 1973 and 1974, this being disturbed again it flew 60 metres to the species and Little Quail bred in large numbers. river edge, gliding the last half on wings held Numerous young Stubble Quail at all stages of flat and at right angles to the body. When the growth were seen on the same dates, in crops quail ran, a call similar to that given by running being harvested in early December on properties Stubble Quail was heard, and when flushed the north of Brinkworth. Broods seen varied from birds rose with a loud whirr of wings, some­ one to about nine, but most were of four or times giving squeaky chirping calls in flight. five young accompanied by both parents. This Three Brown Quail were flushed together on corresponds with my observations of the species June 21 and again on July 2 from rushes at breeding in a large aviary, where the female White Cliff. Other species in this habitat are did all the incubating; but once the chicks Little Grassbirds Megalu'rus gramineus, which hatched the male usually accompanied them are common. In 1975, Banded Landrails and the female, until they were almost fully Rallus philippensis and Spotted Crakes Porzana grown. fluminea were also seen there. In adjacent reedbeds in June and July 1975, I saw a Brown BROWN QUAIL Coturnix ypsilophorus ­ Bittern Botaurus.poiciioptilus, and several times On November 8, 1974, one was heard calling recently have seen adult and immature Nankeen frequently Trom the edge of a thick ripening Night Herons Nycticorax caledonicus in nearby barley crop, 7 km east of Koolunga (160 km trees. N. of Adelaide). The call, repeated a few times every five or ten minutes for most of In the Tothill Ranges, N.E. of Marrabel, on the day from the same spot, was a loud mourn­ November 30, 1974, in tall lush pasture, I am ful whistle, rising in pitch towards the end sure that I heard the short then long loud and usually preceded by a similar but shorter, ascending call, which I had heard only a few softer note. After many attempts to locate it, weeks earlier near Koolunga. It was repeated the bird was flushed in the late afternoon, several times quite close, but no bird could be showing that it was a quail a little smaller found. than a Stubble Quail, and appearing evenly These records extend the known range of coloured brown all over as it flew away. A the Brown Quail considerably, as the previous similar call was heard twice during January, northernmost S.A. records seem to be from the SOUTH AUSTRALIAN ORNITHOLOGIST, 27 vicinity of Adelaide. The species has also .with some spots and strea~s.visibl~ on the recently been recorded at Minlaton on lower birds as they flew away. Similar Views .were Yorke Peninsula (Bird Report 1967-68). The obtained in the other sightings where Pamted nearby Minlaton swamp has a similar type, but Quail were seen flying away. larger area, of vegetation than at White Cliff A Painted Quail was seen at Clare on May where I have seen the quail. 20, 1967 by B. Blaycock (Bird Report 1966-67) ; and I saw one near Auburn in January 1975. KING QUAIL Coturnix chinensis - One The birds have also been seen in the Tothill was seen by my mother in about Septe.mber Ranges in the autumns of 1974 and .1975; a 1972 7 km east of Koolunga. On heanng a few kilometres south of Marrabel in June. 1974, desc~nding three-note call, she imitate~ it and "more than ten years ago" in the hills several times and was answered each· time; near Salters Springs (pers, comm. J. D. Smyth). then a small rich reddish-brown and blue-grey The species was also sighted near Balaklava III quail flew very close to, and past, her into a 1974 (pers. comm. N. H. Parish.) nearby crop. I have no doubt that. the qu~il On Eyre Peninsula 25 km N. of Cleve on was identified correctly as a male Kmg QUail. July 13, 1975, I saw three Painted Quail at Although it is a popular aviary bird, I know close range in mallee scrub as they ran away. of no one in the district at this time who had This is in the same lattitude as the northern­ any of these birds escape. most records indicated by Eckert (1972) i.e. Midgee Rocks and Mt. Wedge. PAINTED QUAIL Turnix varia - These The range of Painted Quail in S.A. as shown . were first seen by me in the Mid-North, 9 km by these .records for the Mid-North and by N.W. of Yacka on February 24, 1974, when. one Eckert for Eyre Peninsula, is considerably more was flushed in open eucalypt scrub. At this than that shown by Condon's Handlist; and I place the species was seen again several times, would not be surprised if it is found that this with three quail being flushed together on species occurs even further north in the Flinders February and March two on April 22 8, 1975, Ranges. 12, and four together on May 10. On June 8, . 1975 two Painted Quail were seen clearly, furti~ely LITTLE QUAIL Turnix velox - These running away through the thin dry birds usually appear in this district in late zrass between stones and trees. They.appeared September, and most leave during January. basically greyish and heavily marked, with the Moderate numbers are seen most years. In 1974 shoulder area and sides of neck most prominent, the species was first seen on September 23 and being a rich rufous; the back blotched black was soon very common, calling at night and and brown and marked with pale streaks; the during the day. Several nests with four eggs or face throat and chest pale grey, spotted and recently hatched shells were found in late marked with white; the belly paler; the beak October, and many broods of up to four flut­ light grey and eyes dark. There were many tering young were seen well into January 1975. small bare patches about 10 em across on the The birds were common until the end of wh~re be~n eucalypt leaf litter the quail had January; but my only records after this are two scratching. Three quail were seen there agam in Mundoora Conservation Park on February on July 23. 8, one near Koolunga on February 16, and one At Mundoora Conservation Park on August near Yacka on February 22. Little Quail were 4, 1974, two Painted Quail were seen aft~r present and breeding in similar numbers the being heard in mallee scrub. The first as It previous summer, and again most birds left ran away, and the second, some distance from during January. They were present in crops the first, as it flew from under low bushes. The and pastures, but I found them breeding only calls were loud booming notes repeated about in natural tussocky grassland in both seasons. eight times in quick succession, with a pause Richard and John Smyth recorded this species before continuing; the notes being similar to, in both open and scrubby areas near Salters but huskier than the calls of Bronzewing Springs in each month from October 1974 to Pigeons.