Quail - 1949

Coturnix coturnix coturnix

Mentioned as breeding by Geo. Owen, 1603.  It was very numerous and many bred in the summers of 1870 and 1899 (Game Book of Newport Castle, Sept 1899; three bevys - one of 11 - seen, and three quail shot). Mathew rather surprisingly says that "the only occurrences which came under our own notice were all of singe birds obtained in the winter".  An almost regular passage migrant on the islands and mainland, and heard in most springtimes calling from young corn and hay along the coast.  A bevy was raised at Dinas Island, 1948 (R.M.L.)

R.M.Lockley, G.C.S.Ingram, H.M.Salmon, 1949, The Birds of Pembrokeshire, The West Wales Field Society 

Quail - 2003-07

Small numbers of quail are detected in Pembrokeshire most summers. Usually they are located by call, only rarely are nests found and most probably do not attempt to breed. The number registered during the two five year surveys are typical of the normal level and pattern of occurrence in the county. Greater numbers are encountered during infrequent “invasion years”.  The last time this was experienced was in 1989 when at least 80 were recorded and both eggs and young were found.

Graham Rees

Fieldwork 2003-07 (based on 490 tetrads)

Red = breeding confirmed = 0

Orange = breeding probable = 11

Yellow = breeding possible = 1

Total tetrads in which registered = 12 (2.5%)

Quail - 1994

Summer visitor, erratic breeder.  Not recorded from January to March, or in November

Considerable numbers occurred in Pembrokeshire during the irruption years of 1870, 1882, 1886, 1893 and 1899.  In 1870, for instance, many nests were found and 330 were shot by a group of 18 sportsmen  operating around the Pembrokeshire/Ceredigion border, with one shot at Tyrhos Common in December (Mathew 1894). Such incursions have not been recorded since.  Lockley et al (1949) noted the Quail as an almost regular passage migrant on the islands and mainland and that in most years it was heard in the spring along the coast, calling from  young corn and hay.  They also noted successful breeding on Dinas Island in 1948. 

Quail occur most years now but in very small numbers, mainly between May and July, mostly in barley fields. There was an influx of about 80 recorded from 18 localities during 1989, part of an exceptional national invasion. A few occasionally breed (see map), but this is usually only proven when chicks become casualties of silage cutting.

Fieldwork 1984-88 (based on 478 tetrads)

Red = breeding confirmed = 1

Orange = breeding probable = 7

Total tetrads in which registered = 8 (1.7%)

Donovan J.W. & Rees G.H (1994), Birds of Pembrokeshire

Quail - 1970s breeding

Red = breeding confirmed

Orange = breeding probable

Yellow = breeding possible

Quail - 1894

Species account from M Mathew, 1894, "The Birds of Pembrokeshire and its islands"

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