The Australasian Brown Quail (Synoicus ypsilophorus) is a plump, ground-dwelling bird native to Australia, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia. They were introduced to New Zealand between 1866 and 1880 as game birds. Ironically, the introduction of these prolific breeders is believed to have contributed to the extinction of the native quail by outcompeting them. These tiny, stout birds only grow to about 17 to 22 cm long and spend most of their time waddling through the grass and dense vegetation in small groups. Males and females look remarkably similar, both sporting patterned, brownish-red and black feathers.
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