New Zealand Quail

 

New Zealand quail

The New Zealand quail, also known as the koreke in the Māori language, is an extinct species of small game bird that was native to New Zealand. The scientific name of the New Zealand quail is Coturnix novaezelandiae.

The New Zealand quail was one of several species of quail that were once found in New Zealand, but it is the only one that is now extinct. The species was first described in 1843 and was once widespread across both the North and South Islands of New Zealand.

The New Zealand quail was a small bird, with a plump body and a short, curved bill. It had brown and white feathers that provided excellent camouflage in the grassy areas where it lived. The species was a ground-dwelling bird and was known for its fast and erratic flight when startled.

The New Zealand quail was an important game bird for the Māori people, who hunted it for both food and cultural reasons. However, the introduction of European settlers to New Zealand in the 19th century, along with the introduction of new predators such as rats, cats, and stoats, led to the rapid decline of the species. By the early 20th century, the New Zealand quail was believed to be extinct.

Efforts have been made to reintroduce quails to New Zealand, but these efforts have focused on other species such as the California quail, which is not native to the country. The New Zealand quail remains an important part of the country's cultural heritage and serves as a reminder of the impacts that human activity can have on wildlife populations.

Illustration of the Chatham rail and the New Zealand quail from 1907

The New Zealand quail was also known as the "little bush quail" due to its preference for living in wooded areas and shrubby habitats.

The species was primarily a seed-eater, feeding on a variety of grass and plant seeds. It was also known to eat insects and other small invertebrates.

The New Zealand quail was a colonial breeder, with several pairs of birds nesting in close proximity to one another. The birds would lay their eggs in a shallow depression in the ground, often lined with grass or leaves.

The Māori people had a strong cultural connection to the New Zealand quail, and the bird was often used in traditional Māori cuisine and in cultural ceremonies.

The extinction of the New Zealand quail was likely due to a combination of factors, including habitat loss, hunting by humans, and predation by introduced mammalian predators such as rats, stoats, and cats.

The New Zealand quail is classified as a "least concern" species on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. However, this is due to a taxonomic revision that merged the New Zealand quail with other quail species. In reality, the species is extinct.

The extinction of the New Zealand quail highlights the importance of conservation efforts to protect endangered species and preserve biodiversity. It also underscores the need to prevent the introduction of invasive species that can have devastating impacts on native wildlife populations.

The New Zealand quail was not only hunted for its meat, but also for its feathers, which were used for making fishing flies and decorations.

The New Zealand quail was a popular game bird among European settlers in New Zealand, who hunted it for sport. In fact, some early settlers noted that the bird was so plentiful that it was considered a nuisance in gardens and orchards.

The New Zealand quail was the smallest of the three quail species found in New Zealand, with the other two being the brown quail and the stubble quail.

The New Zealand quail was once so abundant that it was considered a pest in some areas. For example, in the early 1900s, a farmer in Canterbury complained about the damage the birds were doing to his crops and demanded that the government take action to control their population.

The New Zealand quail is closely related to the Australian brown quail (Coturnix ypsilophora), which is still found in Australia and parts of Papua New Guinea.

The New Zealand quail was last seen in the wild in the early 20th century, and the last captive bird died in 1875. Despite several attempts to reintroduce quail species to New Zealand, the New Zealand quail remains extinct.

Today, the New Zealand quail serves as a reminder of the importance of preserving native wildlife and the potential impacts of human activity on ecosystems and biodiversity.