Wildlifeof Thailand
King Quail
Phasianidae
Photo: Richard Stovall · CC BY 4.0 (May be cropped or resized)
Synoicus chinensis
Basic stats
Diet
Grass seeds and small invertebrates
Habitat
Wet grassland, marsh edge and rice fields
Range
South and Southeast Asia to Australia
Size
12–14cm
The king quail is a tiny, short-tailed ground bird. Males are blue-grey and chestnut with a black-and-white throat pattern, while females are mottled brown. It inhabits wet grassland, marsh edges and rice fields from South and Southeast Asia to Australia, moving through dense cover for grass seeds and small invertebrates. Birds crouch or burst into low flight when flushed (Wikipedia, general species account). It is Nationally Near Threatened (Thailand Red Data 2025).
Quick answers
- What does the King Quail eat?
- Grass seeds and small invertebrates
- What habitat does the King Quail live in?
- Wet grassland, marsh edge and rice fields
- Where is the King Quail found?
- South and Southeast Asia to Australia
- How big is the King Quail?
- 12–14cm