Pheasants and Partridges (Phasianidae)

Japanese Quail (Coturnix japonica) - HBW 2, p. 509

French: Caille du Japon German: Japanwachtel Spanish: Codorniz Japonesa
Other common names: Asian Migratory Quail

Taxonomy: C. vulgaris japonica Temminck and Schlegel, 1849, Japan.
Forms superspecies with C. coturnix, and possibly also with C. pectoralis. Present species has been considered a race of C. coturnix, but they are apparently sympatric in Mongolia. Monotypic.

Distribution: Breeds in E Asia, from N Mongolia, NE through Baikal region to Vitim region in EC Russia, E to Sakhalin I, and S to Japan, Korea and NE China (E Shandong); winters S from C Japan and C China W through NW Thailand and N Burma to NE India (Assam) and Bhutan. Records from NW Bangladesh usually ascribed to C. coturnix, but may actually be applicable to present species. May breed in Buthan and Burma. Introduced to Hawaiian Is.