Common Quail
Coturnix coturnix
Common passage migrant
Found at Neolithic WF16
The Common Quail’s usual habitat is open meadows and cultivated fields with quite dense vegetation. It is a common migrant, found throughout Jordan with the peak southward migration occurring in September when it can be seen in large flocks flying over Faynan.
The Quail holds the distinction of being one of the birds mentioned in the Qur’an, referenced in the story of Moses and the exodus from Egypt. When Allah provided the Israelites with food in the desert, it came in the form of manna and quails falling from the sky. Quails are also one of the most hunted birds in Jordan.
Image credit: ‘Common Quail’ by Mosmas at Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0