brown quail (Coturnix [Synoicus] ypsilophora)

September 2012, Tiritiri Matangi island, Auckland.

Brown quail were introduced widely around NZ in the 1860s but only survived in the top part of the North Island. They are common on Tiritiri but seem to be declining in the rest of their NZ range. Potentially Tiritiri will be their last site in the country.

NZ used to have its own endemic quail species (Coturnix novaezelandiae), closely related to the stubble quail of Australia (Coturnix pectoralis). The brown quail probably fills a similar niche to the extinct quail.