The Mystery Singing Quail

[neb]

Hi Everyone

I am new to this forum and to keeping quail. I am from South Africa, and we do not have a big selection of quail available in my area.
I have seen an advertisement for Singing Quail, but no matter how hard I try I cannot find any info on keeping them as pets/in aviaries.
At first I was interested in starting with Button Quail, but the freight charges to send them to Cape Town are too much.
I need to know as much info a possible on these birds. Has anyone else kept them before? They seem rather exotic and there is no info on them.
What type of enclosure/ aviary do they need? Can it be a medium size cage and then just let them free during the day? Can they live together with more than a pair peacefully? Do they need perches? What size are they? You get the picture, I know nothing about them at all....

If anyone has kept them before could you please post pictures of your setup and birds and help me with some info.

Thanks

 

[Yvonne37894]

I don't know a thing about singing quail, but welcome to BYC
maybe someone else will know somthing about them

 

[neb]

Thanks for the welcome Yvonne

I found this website which has the most info so far... http://www.petmasters.co.za/birdsh.htm

According to the website above, they are similar in size and care to button quail?
Any more info will be appreciated.

 

[Buttercup Chillin]

New to quail so can't help much. Would not let the singing quail out though. It appears to be a ground dweller and does not flush so is not good for hunting. Being from the tropics would not last long in the wild.

Check out information on Codornix silbadora. Look at www.gamebird.com/mexicanquail. They have a short piece on various Mexican quail and the Singing Quail is included.

 

[neb]

Hi Buttercup

I don't plan on letting them go to the call of nature

, I just meant letting the run around in side my house. This was just a temporary plan until get an aviary.
There is lots of online info on wild Singing Quail, but what I am looking for is keeping them in captivity and breeding them.
The person I will be buying them from is keeping them in an aviary, but they have not given me much info on them. eg. Can they be tamed, Do they need a lot of space, Can they live in close proximity to other of their breed etc.

Pictures of some in someones aviary would also be great for size comparison.

Thanks for the help Buttercup.

 

[neb]

No one have Singing Quail?

 

[danischi24]

I'm from SA-moved a few years ago. I'm almost positive that what they call Singing quail there are plain old Coturnix everywhere else in the world. You can find lots of info on them here. Also, button quail here are called Chinese Painted Quail in SA, you can find them in almost any pet shop or breeder especially in CT. What you call Button quail in SA are a native, rare species that almost isn't even a quail & you want to keep far away from them even if you could get hold of them (doubtful). You need permits etc & they aren't usually kept by anyone anyway.

So..if you want to keep Coturnix(singing) or Button(Chinese Painted), you need an enclosure as they fly very fast & well. They are also quite wild when you first get them & will fly straight into your windows & kill themselves. Rather wait until you have an aviary.
They require, seed, some greens, water, a place to dust themselves & scratch around, something to hide behind or under & the right ratio of males to females-1 male=3 or more females. If you give them these basic things, they will be very happy. They can get tame if you feed them mealworms. Start by throwing them some each morning & eventually they will take them out your hand. That's about as tame as they get. Don't try to cuddle them or pick them up-they don't like it & will get untame quickly if you do.
They need about 20 square cms each (for Chinese Painted, more for the Singing) minimum or they will fight & pick at each other. PM me if you have any questions for me cause I'll forget to check this thread I'm sure

 

[neb]

Hi Everyone

Well, I managed to get some more info form the breeder. She says that the care for them is exactly the same as any other small quail, and they are only a few cm's bigger than normal quail. Shes says they are hardier and more valuable.

I got lots of nice pictures

, they are quite beautiful, and look nothing like normal coturnix quail (I think). She says they are quite hard to come by.
I don't have any place to store the pics online, so I will have to describe them.....
The male has a black and white striped chest, a light brown gold stripe on its chin with creme tear drops coming from its eyes. It has big black blots on its back feathers and has the most beautiful sound of all the quail, apparently. The female is similar but with a rusty belly.

I will be getting some eggs soon, so I will keep you guys updated.
I read that they are trying to introduce them to more aviaries and collections in the US to conserve the species?

Thanks for all the help danischi24, where abouts do you live in South Africa?

Here is the url for downloading the images

https://mail.google.com/mail/?attid=0.4&disp=emb&view=att&th=129c61fb6d993b3d
https://mail.google.com/mail/?attid=0.2&disp=emb&view=att&th=129c61fb6d993b3d
https://mail.google.com/mail/?attid=0.1&disp=emb&view=att&th=129c61fb6d993b3d

 

[neb]

And here is an audio file of the Singing Quail:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/sounds/uploaded/NYTXYAQSTH/R092_0210 Singing Quail song.mp3

 

[JJMR794]

Sorry To Say The Pics Dont Work.... But The Audio Does, And That Is Not Any Vocalization Made By A Coturnix Or Button. Gbwf.org Lists The Singing Quail Of Central America But Does Not Have Any Pictures Or Specific Speces Information Available On Them--- These Are Not Common In The Captive Quail World Of N America So Your Information Quest Will Be Very Limited. They Do Sound Like A Neat Lil Speces. Once You Get Them Can You Post Pix For Us Hatchaholics?