Japanese Quail

Japanese Quail: 10th APR 2020, Osaka, Japan

The Japanese Quail is a very familiar bird in Japan, and everyone knows it. However, not many people have actually seen a wild one. In Japan, people usually have a chance to see it during migration.

If you hear its loud and unique call, “ko-kyo-kururu!” along riverbanks or in farmland, try to look around carefully. The call is so loud that I was once woken up by it when camping in grassland. The bird is very cautious, and even short grass can hide its whole body, so you need to look with great care if you want to find it before it flies away.

Recent studies show that when there is an open spot without grass inside a grassy area, the bird sometimes comes out there on purpose. This may also be a useful clue when you look for it.