quail

(kwāl)

1. Any of various Old World chickenlike birds of the genus Coturnix, especially C. coturnix, small in size and having mottled brown plumage and a short tail.
2. Any of various similar or related New World birds, such as the bobwhite.

[Middle English quaille, from Old French, perhaps from Vulgar Latin *coacula, of imitative origin.]

(kwāl)

[Middle English quailen, to give way, probably from Middle Dutch quelen, to suffer, be ill.]

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quail

A small migratory bird thought to be originally from Asia or Africa. 

American quail (Colinus virginianus) is a larger species closely related to the European quail. 

Farmed quail weighs 5-10 oz (150-300 g). Its flesh is delicate and tasty. Its tiny eggs are also edible.

Buying

Allow 2-3 quails per person.

Serving Ideas

Quail can be prepared as a pâté or terrine. The bones can be eaten, especially when the quail is well cooked. Grapes, cherries, olives, prunes and lemon are very good accompaniments to quail. 

Generally eaten hard-boiled, quail eggs are served as an appetizer or used as a garnish. They have a fine flavor and their texture is soft and creamy ; they occupy a privileged position in Chinese and Japanese cuisine.

Storing

In the fridge: 2-3 days, raw, in the coldest part.

Cooking

Do not let quail flesh dry out during cooking. 

Roasted, braised (with grapes), cooked in a casserole, grilled or broiled: 20-25 min.

Nutritional Information

Browse other poultry: Introduction | Turkey | Goose | Chicken | Hen | Capon | Guinea fowl | Pigeon | Quail | Pheasant | Duck | Egg

Browse other foods: Vegetables | Legumes | Fruits | Nuts and Seeds | Seaweeds | Mushrooms | Cereals and Grains | Fish | Crustaceans | Mollusks | Herbs, Spices and Seasonings | Meats | Variety Meats | Delicatessen Meats | Poultry | Dairy Products | Sugars, Cocoa and Carob | Fats and Oils | Binders and Leavenings | Coffee, Tea and Herbal Teas

(click to enlarge)
California quail (Callipepla californica). (credit: © William H. Mullins, The National Audubon Society Collection/Photo Researchers)

Any of several species of short-tailed game birds (family Phasianidae), some with a head plume that is straight or curled forward. Species range from 5 to 13 in. (13 – 33 cm) long. Some of the 95 Old World species have leg spurs, but the 36 New World species never do. Quails prefer open country and brushy borders. The male may help incubate the 12 eggs. Quails mainly eat seeds and berries but also leaves, roots, and insects. The common quail (Coturnix coturnix) of Eurasia and Africa is the only migratory bird in the order Galliformes. Quails are generally smaller than partridges. See also bobwhite.

For more information on quail, visit Britannica.com.

Formerly a game bird, now so endangered in the wild that shooting is prohibited, but farmed. Two main species, Bonasa umbellus and Colinus virginianus; Californian quail is Lophortyx californica. The small eggs are prized as a delicacy. A 150-g portion (whole bird) is a rich source of protein and niacin; a good source of vitamins B₁ and B₂; contains 3 g of fat and supplies 180 kcal (760 kJ).

[KWAYL] The American quail is not related to the European quail, a migratory game bird belonging to the partridge family. But when colonists discovered birds that resembled the European version they called them by the same name. American quail are known by various names depending on the region-bobwhite in the East, partridge in the South, quail in the North and blue quail in the Southwest. Other notable members of this family are California quail, mountain quail and Montezuma quail. American quail nest on the ground and are not migratory-in fact, they'd rather walk than fly. They're very social and travel in small groups called coveys. The meat of the American quail is white and delicately flavored. In general, they should be cooked like other game birds-young birds can be roasted, broiled or fried and older fowl should be cooked with moist heat. Most of the quail marketed today are raised on game bird farms. Fresh quail can be ordered through specialty butchers, who might also carry frozen quail.

verb

To draw away involuntarily, usually out of fear or disgust: blench¹, cringe, flinch, recoil, shrink, shy¹, start, wince. See approach/retreat, seek/avoid.

Definition: cower, shrink
Antonyms: face, meet

A small, gallinaceous, insectivorous game bird, gray-brown with black, white and yellow spots. They are poor flyers but migrate long distances annually and reproduce at a high rate. The common species is the common quail, Coturnix coturnix. In North America the native quail is the bobwhite (Colinus virginianus).

• q. bronchitis — caused by an adenovirus in captive or freeliving bobwhite quail, manifested by coughing, sneezing, lacrimation and conjunctivitis but usually without nasal discharge. Morbidity is usually 100% in young birds where the mortality may also be high.
• q. disease — see ulcerative enteritis.

• Other land birds
• Poultry and Game

Dansk (Danish)
1.
n. - vagtel

2.
v. intr. - tabe modet

Nederlands (Dutch)
kwartel, terugdeinzen, angstig zijn

Français (French)
1.
n. - (Orn) caille

2.
v. intr. - fléchir, faiblir (devant)

Deutsch (German)
1.
n. - Wachtel

2.
v. - verzagen, sinken (Mut)

Ελληνική (Greek)
v. - δειλιάζω, λιποψυχώ
n. - (ορνιθ.) ορτύκι, χαμοπέρδικα

Italiano (Italian)
quaglia

Português (Portuguese)
v. - intimidar-se, intimidar
n. - codorniz (f)

Русский (Russian)
перепел, приходить в ужас

Español (Spanish)
1.
n. - codorniz

2.
v. intr. - sentir o mostrar temor o aprensión

Svenska (Swedish)
v. - bäva, rygga tillbaka, vika undan
n. - vaktel (zool.)

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
1. 鹌鹑, 高级妓女, 少女, 姑娘

2. 胆怯, 畏缩

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
1.
n. - 鵪鶉, 高級妓女, 少女, 姑娘

2.
v. intr. - 膽怯, 畏縮

한국어 (Korean)
1.
n. - 메추라기, 남녀 공학의 여학생

2.
v. intr. - 두려워 하다, 겁내다, 주춤하다

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - ウズラ
v. - おじける, ひるむ

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(فعل) يخوف, يحير (الاسم) السلوى, السماني‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮שליו (עוף)‬
v. intr. - ‮גילה פחד, נרתע, חרד‬

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