Himalayan Quail

The sole member of its genus, this distinctive quail is known from only two small areas of the western Himalayas. All documented records come from a small series of specimens collected between 1836 and 1876 in northern India. This enigmatic species seems to prefer the cover of tall grasses on steep slopes, which likely conspire to make it very difficult to detect.

Description 

Also known as the Mountain Quail 

This species is the only member of the Ophrysia genus 

25 cm tall 

The species is sexually dimorphic  

The males are greyish overall and have long, stiff tails, a white forehead, a black face and throat, a narrow supercilium, bristle-like feathers on the forehead, small white patches in front of and behind the eye, and long/lanceolate body feathers that have an unusual shape and texture 

The females are slightly smaller, have dark brown upperparts, buffish head sides and underparts, a contrasting dark mask, dark streaks on the breast and vent, and a mostly tawny or cinnamon brown plumage that is patterned with blackish spots and streaks (IUCN Red List) 

Juvenile males have buff streaks and bars on tertials as well as large black spots on the back like the females 

This species differentiates itself from other quails by its size, red bill, red legs, and heavy streaking on the underparts 

Described as a “ball on short legs” similar to the Rock Partridge (Alectoris graeca)  

In the field, look for the following distinguishing characteristics that separate the Himalayan Quail from local species:  

The male’s body feathers are grey with black edges   

The female’s body feathers are brownish with triangular-shaped black markings along the shaft (Rieger and Waltzthöny, 1993) 

Habitat 

This species supposedly lives in northern India in areas such as Mussoorie, the Dehra Dun Valley, Jharipani, and Nainital in Uttar Pradesh  

Main habitats are grassy slopes, dry grassland, and shrub 

Prefers steep hillsides (especially on south-facing slopes and crests) and long patches of high, dense grass, brushwood, and shrub between 1,650-2,400 m. (although it’s possible that this species might occur at elevations as low as 1,000 m) (IUCN Red List) 

Behavior 

The behavior of the Himalayan Quail is based almost purely on speculation and from eyewitness accounts that often contradict each other 

Moves in groups of 5-12 birds and occasionally in pairs 

Even though this species’ movement is unknown, past accounts say that this species winters in northern India and moves downslope from its breeding grounds further north as far as Tibet 

This claim is countered by modern ornithologists that contend that the Himalayan Quail is a poor flier and could possibly be a short-distance migrant that moves downslope by either walking or flying in response to extreme weather (Rieger and Waltzthöny, 1993) 

Seen in the Spring and Summer in Uttar Pradesh (Birds of the World) 

Supposedly, this bird never flew unless provoked or stepped on (IUCN Red List) 

Diet 

Grass seeds  

Berries (Principea utilis, Lonicera angustifolia, Berberis asiatica, Gerardiana heterophylla)  

Insects 

Other Information  

The species’ vocal behavior is unknown but, according to some accounts, it gives off a shrill whistle when alarmed and a low, short call when feeding that is similar to other quail species 

Others contend that the bird is the most vocal in November (President’s Letter-Hornbill 1978)  

Breeding behavior is unknown 

The species' morphology seems to rule out it having a wide range (Birds of the World) 

Some experts view the Himalayan Quail as a “Palearctic relict” from a period in Earth’s history where there was much more glaciation in the Himalayas at higher latitudes during the Pleistocene (Ridley, 1959). 

Life span 3.9 years (Data Zone-Birdlife International) 

The Himalayan Quail is listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN that made its recent assessment in 2018. It is listed as such due to the belief that only a small population exists within a restricted-range that lies entirely within the Western Himalayan Endemic Bird Area. This is situated within the Western Himalayas in Uttarakhand in northwestern India. It is in this area that 9 specimens were collected near Mussoorie and Naina Tal in the 19^th century. The species was often the target of hunters who spotted the quail easily due to her contact call. By the late 1800s, this species was already reported as rare. Since then, the species habitat has been severely affected by hunting and habitat loss. This narrow range may be due to the fact that most of the records are limited to just two hill stations in the area. However, experts concede that tiny populations of Himalayan Quail may yet exist in remote areas of the lower and middle Himalayas. They also point to the fact that other species in the region, such as the Cheer Pheasant (Catreus wallechi), are hard to find even with detailed surveys. The Himalayan Quail could be even more difficult to find for this reason (IUCN Red List). It is possible that this bird could have a wider range. The population of this bird is estimated to be less than 50 individuals (Birds of the World). 

This species extent of occurrence is estimated to be 2,100 km.²  To see a distribution map of the Himalayan Quail, click here. 

The last two specimens were collected from the mountains outside of Nainital in northern India (December 1876; BirdLife International 2001).

The Himalayan Quail was first described by J.E Gray in 1846. Since 1846, all that is known of this species comes from 9 specimens that were collected in the 19^th century (1836-1876). Eight of these specimens were collected in areas near Mussoorie at Jharipani, Banog, and Bhadraj. The nineth and last specimen was collected in Sherkadanda in Nainital by Major G. Carwithen in 1876. Both areas are situated in Uttarakhand, India, are separated by 180 km, are at the highest elevations of their respective ridges, and are on top of the southerly range of the Lesser Western Himalayas that exceeds 2,000 m. The specimens were collected during the winter (Rieger and Waltzthöny, 1992). It is possible that other Himalayan Quail were shot and eaten by hunters without being properly identified. This suggests that this species may have been present in areas such as Mukteshwar, Ranikhet, Lansdowne, Almora, and Abbot Mount which were also visited by hunters (Talwar, 1995). After the 9 known specimens were collected, many believed the quail went extinct in the late 1890s (Singh, 2000). Since then, no confirmed sightings of this species have been recorded. However, hope remains that this bird could still be alive thanks to a series of unconfirmed sightings in the 20^th and 21^st centuries. The first of these unconfirmed sightings occurred 70 years after the last specimen was collected in Nainital. 

Between the years 1945-1950, there were sightings of the Himalayan Quail in Nepal in the Dailekh and Lohagat districts. There was a report that a Himalayan Quail was shot in east Kumaon near Lohagat in the Dailekh district of Nepal (Kalsi et al., 2007). 

In August/September 1970, the wife of Brijendra Singh might have seen a Himalayan Quail in a hospital yard at Jharipani (Mussoorie) (Rieger and Waltzthöny, 1993). 

On April 17, 1977 and March 19, 1978, the president of the Bombay Natural History Society, Salim Ali, ventured out to Banog Peak near Mussoorie with Shri M. Osman (a sportsman/naturalist) to search for the Himalayan Quail or what Ali referred to as the “Mountain Quail.” The two investigated slopes that were around 2,100 m in one of the areas where specimens were collected of the species in the 1870s. The first trip showed no signs of a Himalayan Quail but the second trip proved to be much more interesting. On the second trip, Ali thought he saw, "a pair of partridge-like birds--definitely not the Peura or Hill Patridge--running behind the other down a grassy slope about 25 metres away. The leading bird was seen only as a greyish blur, but the second was distinctly cinnamon-brown and in shape and size tantalisingly suggestive of a female Mountain Quail." Unfortunately, the birds went down a ravine that was so deep that Ali and Osman could not flush them out to get a closer look. Even though another trip to the same area was planned for November 1979 in the hopes that he might see a Himalayan Quail at a time when she is supposed to be most vocal, Ali never saw the birds again (President’s Letter-Hornbill 1978). To this day, no one is sure whether Ali and Osman saw two Himalayan Quails or not but the description Ali gave of the birds does sound similar to eyewitness sightings of the bird. 

In September 1984, there were two possible sightings of the Himalayan Quail near Suwakholi in the Mussoorie Hills in Uttarakhand, India where I.S Negi saw six Himalayan Quail crossing a road. That same day, he saw a flock fly over his jeep and perch on a grassy slope below the road. 

On November 5, 1989, Hari Dang said that he saw two pairs of Himalayan Quail on a hill south of Dhobi Ghat in Mussoorie. The ornithologists Ingo Rieger and Doris Waltzthöny did a search of the area and did not find the two pairs Dang was talking about. Instead, they found a heavy degree of grazing, barbed wire, and traces of wild dogs and cattle. 

In 1992, V.P Nair thought he saw a Himalayan Quail in the northeastern part of the Himalayas close to the border with Bhutan (far outside the species’ known range). Accompanied by Ranjit Talwar from WWF India, Nair went there in March 1994 where he shot a "quail." Rieger and Waltzthöny examined pictures of the specimen and determined that what Nair shot was not a quail but was either a Hill Partridge (Arborophila torqueola) or a Rufous-Throated Partridge (Arborophila rufogularis). This proves how even locals can confuse the Himalayan Quail with local species (Rieger and Waltzthöny, 1993). 

Decades later in the early 2000s, there was a possible sighting in Benog Tibba near Mussoorie, the same area where the specimens were found in the 19^th century. 

In 2003, there were five sightings of the species around Nainital in Uttarakhand, India (Birds of the World). 

The last sighting of the Himalayan Quail was in 2010 when a hunter spotted a female of the species in a wheat field near a riparian pine forest in western Nepal (IUCN Red List). 

Despite arguments for the bird’s extinction, many ornithologists hold out hope for the Himalayan Quail and argue that there still exists 923 km² of suitable habitat in Mussoorie (Birds of the World). It also stands to reason that the species may have a wider range since there have been several reports of sightings outside India in Nepal in the 20^th and 21^st centuries. 

The habitat within the Himalayan Quail’s range has been devastated since the species was first described almost two centuries ago. The species suitable habitat on slopes has been denuded due to settlements, tourism, overgrazing, and limestone mining. Limestone mining in particular has been intense in Mussoorie where several of the known Himalayan Quail specimens were found. This mining has caused soil erosion, landslides as well as toxic discharge to be dumped into the heavily polluted Song River. This has had negative effects on the endemic fauna (Singh, 2000). In Uttarakhand where the Himalayan Quail was seen, 70% of the land has been grazed. Wild and pet dogs prowl the area and are used by locals to protect their livestock. Predators, such as the Yellow-Throated Marten (Martes flavigula) are also in the area. There is a lot of poaching and hunting in the area. Furthermore, the populations of Mussoorie and Nainital have skyrocketed since the first hill stations were established by the British in the 19^th century. Since then, Mussoorie has experienced a 336% increase in its population with a 427% increase for Nainital. If this trend continues, the populations for Mussoorie and Nainital will be 48,701 and 64,252 respectively by the year 2031. This population growth will only encourage the establishment of more terrace farms on slopes and peaks and lead to more landslides, floods, and tourism. This future does not bode well for the Himalayan Quail that is supposedly scared of human activity, a poor flier, and prefers the grassy slopes that are becoming scarcer with every passing year (Pop et al., 2020). 

The Himalayan Quail population may never have been very large even when the species was first described in 1846. Even though remnant populations may still exist in the Lower or Middle Himalayas between Nainital and Mussoorie, it is difficult to confirm this theory since long-term surveys are difficult to undertake in this region (Kalsi et al., 2007). Any micropopulations between Mussoorie and Nainital may no longer exist since it is theorized that the Himalayan Quail is technophobic or a species that does not like human activity. In the areas where the only specimens were found in the 19^th century, there has been a lot of population growth, tourism, hunting, mining, agriculture, grazing, and habitat loss. This only serves to discourage any Himalayan Quails from staying in these areas. Furthermore, the rocky terrain and the species’ ability to camouflage make it hard to find any small populations even if they did exist. During their 2018 survey of Dehradun and Nainital, Pop et al. (2018), noted that in certain times of the day in areas such as George Everest the light will hit the rocky crevices in such a way to make quail-like figures. These shadows can be seen from a distance of 50 m or more. Due to the degree of human activity in Mussoorie and Nainital, there may not be any Himalayan Quail left. Even so, if one were still to look in these areas, they should focus on southward slopes with little human contact. According to Rieger and Waltzthöny (1993) who examined all 9 known specimens of the Himalayan Quail, the species prefers southward slopes because the sun on these slopes helps with thermoregulation. In winter, Himalayan Quails probably look for food on steep slopes and spots that are exposed to the sun (such as spots on southward slopes) and where there is a lot of wind that melts the snow and exposes the grass. In the survey they did in Mussorie and Nainital, they looked at areas such as Garhwal-Himalaya on the road from Kotdwara-Dugadda-Rishikesh, Dhobi Ghat, Snowdon, Sianti Tibba, Kempty Falls, Banog, Cloud End, Nali Forest in Mussoorie and Sherkadanda, Bhimtal, Sattal, Naina Peak in Nainital. They found no traces of the Himalayan Quail and instead found a lot of human activity in the form of terrace farms. In addition to southward slopes, they suggest that future surveys check out areas in the Lesser Himalayas north to the ridges of Mussoorie and Nainital (200 km). 

It’s possible that ornithologists the whole time have been looking in the wrong place. According to a study by Kalsi et al. (2007), populations of Himalayan Quail could be hiding in oak forest and scrub habitat close to grassy patches. All surveys to date have mainly focused on slopes with tall grass. While many discount the theory that the species is a migrant, they point out that it is possible that Himalayan Quail could migrate on foot to cross ranges towards high mountains. Suitable habitat for the Himalayan Quail could be as low as 1,000 m down to the Ganges River. Researchers that have studied the literature surrounding this species, such as Rieger and Waltzthöny (1992), support a similar theory that populations of Himalayan Quail might follow the Ganges River northwards to reach valleys and ridges in the Lesser Western Himalayas north of the Mussoorie range or by descending from the Mussoorie/Nainital ridge. If they are right, then the Himalayan Quail should still live in the valleys and mountains north of the Mussoorie/Nainital ridge since this area was originally part of the species’ range and has been less disturbed by human activity. Even though all the specimens were found in slopes or on the top of hills and ridges, it is still possible that the Himalayan Quail could live in valleys despite their limited mobility. 

One confusing aspect with regards to the search for the Himalayan Quail is local knowledge. There seem to be conflicting reports among researchers about how much locals in the area know about the Himalayan Quail and whether they could be confusing the bird with other species in the area such as the Hill Partridge and the Rufous-Throated Patridge that can be confused with the Himalayan Quail from a distance (Pop et al., 2020). In the 1950s, S. Ripley learned that locals in the area were familiar with the Himalayan Quail and called the bird sano kalo titra (which means “small black partridge”) (Ripley, 1952). According to Kalsi et al., (2007), the locals said that they saw the Himalayan Quail in Mussoorie and Nainital. When Pop et al., (2018) conducted their survey, locals reported that the Himalayan Quail came out in the morning. They also claim that when they asked the locals in Mussoorie and Nainital about the Himalayan Quail, most of them did not know what they were talking about. 

There is a theory that habitat loss and population growth into the Lower Himalayas forced the Himalayan Quail to higher elevations within isolated subpopulations vulnerable to environmental pressures and extinction. According to this theory, there was a quail population that covered most of the Lesser Himalayas from the west of Mussoorie to the east of Nainital between 400-2,000 m. Environmental changes and human activity forced the quails to go up to higher altitudes. This was due to their technophobic nature (i.e. fear of human activity) and their inability to fly long distances. This retreat began at the beginning of the 11^th century when the Muslim conquest of Northern India pushed refugee human populations northward into the Himalayan Quail’s range. As a result, this species retreated to the tops of the Lesser Western Himalayas in isolated populations on high peaks. More pressure was brought to bear on these remnant Himalayan Quail populations during the British Empire when hill stations in Mussoorie and Nainital were established starting in the 1830s. This time there was nowhere left for Himalayan Quail populations to go except further up where they were exposed to hunting, environmental pressures, and extinction (Rieger and Waltzthöny, 1992). Recent climate change might be pushing subpopulations of Himalayan Quail to higher elevations; creating more stress for these remaining members who have to cope with suboptimal environments (IUCN Red List). 

The Himalayan Quail’s precarious status brings up an important question: if a population was found, would it even be reported due to the fact that this species faces so many threats from human population growth, habitat loss, hunting, etc.? It is possible that if someone finds the Himalayan Quail in Mussoorie, Nainital, western Nepal, or elsewhere that they may not tell the world of their discovery due to fear of what such publicity might do to the small population of Himalayan Quail in that area. Such attention might lead to their extinction. Those that stumble upon this species may decide to wait until the population of the area can be measured and steps can be taken to protect the species. Indeed, this may have already happened. If this is the case, one can understand the caution since if any Himalayan Quail population still exists in the Western Himalayas they face many pressures from human activity. 

The Himalayan Quail was and remains a very elusive species. The fact that the species lives in the Himalayas makes any search for the bird extremely difficult (Birds of the World). Even though he said it more than 70 years ago, S. Ripley’s comments on the mystery surrounding this species remains valid to this day, "at present we are as much in the dark as ever about the fate of the Mountain [Himalayan] Quail." (Ripley, 1952). 

Rieger and Waltzthöny (1993) suggested that undiscovered specimens of Himalayan Quail along with details of past sightings may exist in private collections across the United Kingdom and India. Future researchers should investigate these collections and see if any more artefacts or records relating to the Himalayan Quail can be found.

Over the years, many have proposed that micropopulations of Himalayan Quail may yet exist on “altitudinal islands” in unexplored areas in the Lesser Himalayas between India and Nepal. To date, researchers, ornithologists, and others continue to search for these islands in the hope of proving that this elusive species is still out there. 

Previous surveys of Mussoorie and Nainital in Uttarakhand, India as well as some in Western Nepal have failed to locate the Himalayan Quail. The most recent of these surveys was done by a team of researchers led by Paul Pop in 2018. They conducted their survey between September 20 and December 31 in Dehradun and Nainital and tried to survey areas in between Mussoorie and Nainital. They did not find the Himalayan Quail but they made some important observations regarding the species’ chances of still being there, "there are very few potential habitats left in the areas surveyed, as most of the historical range has been turned into agricultural land or used for tourism purposes. Those which still exist, is heavily to moderately disturbed by anthropogenic causes." In Nainital, they saw that most of the habitat was disturbed by grazing and grass-cutting for fuel and fodder. There was even more damage due to tourism through littering and noise pollution. Of all the areas explored in Nainital, they suggest that future surveys focus on China and Boar peaks as these two areas still have potential habitat for the Himalayan Quail. Similar phenomena have stripped Mussoorie of suitable habitat as well except that the damage in Mussoorie is more intense than that seen by Pop et al., in Nainital (especially near Doon Valley where heavy grazing near the peaks and tourism have decimated local habitats). They recommend more surveys on the route between Mussoorie and Dhanolti which is an area that has a lot of undisturbed grassy slopes suitable for a Himalayan Quail population. However, they caution that these slopes contain raptors that feed on quail along with a large degree of sheep feeding as part of a local textile industry. As of now 9 camera traps are in Nainital with none of them indicating any signs of the Himalayan Quail (Pop et al., 2020). 

More surveys involving local communities in the Western Himalayas are planned. In preparation for these surveys, Jonathon Dunn and other researchers mapped a potential distribution for the Himalayan Quail based on the range of two similar species: the Cheer Pheasant (Catreus wallechi) and the Himalayan Monal (Lophophorus impejanus). They created climactic and topographical distribution models that provided valuable data since the range of the Cheer Pheasant and the Himalayan Monal overlapped with that of the Himalayan Quail. They included old sites where the species was sighted such as Budraj, Benog, Jharipani, and Sherkadanda. Based on their results, they argue that the Himalayan Quail is not likely to be found in Western Nepal due to the lack of suitable habitat there. They identified five areas of suitable habitat in Uttarakhand, India that remain to be surveyed. These areas are: Bhimleth, Khasonsi, Tyongi Pangu, Dug R.F, and Chirbitiyakhal. All of which are in Uttarakhand, India. They contend that previous searches may have been looking in the wrong places since the Himalayan Quail (unlike the Cheer Pheasant and the Himalayan Monal) might use its microhabitat in different ways despite the overlap and habitat preferences of the three species. It is possible that the Himalayan Quail had a large range in the lowlands but was forced into the mountains due to habitat loss. If this is so, then Dunn et al. admit that their models could be wrong. They further state that their models need more testing since much is still unknown about this species (Dunn et al., 2015). 

There has been a lack of intense surveys in Western Nepal. The only extensive survey of this area was done by S. Ripley in the 1950s (Pop et al., 2020). Those searching for the Himalayan Quail should focus more of their efforts in Western Nepal. Even though past studies, such as that done by Dunn et al. (2015), argued that Western Nepal lacks suitable habitat for the Himalayan Quail, it stands to reason to that the species could still be there due to recent unconfirmed sightings and the fact that the models of past surveys remain incomplete due to the insufficient data. Any lead to the Himalayan Quail should be followed. Although there is still more area to cover in Mussoorie and Nainital, the evidence from past surveys indicates that any remaining Himalayan Quail populations in the areas where previous specimens were found have long disappeared. If one is serious about finding the Himalayan Quail, one should consider areas that have not been investigated thoroughly such as Western Nepal and lower elevations of the Himalayas near the Ganges River. Future surveys must also keep in mind local wildlife that might be confused with the Himalayan Quail, such as the Black Francolin (Francolinus francolinus), from a distance. 

Order: Galliformes 

Family: Phasianidae 

Genus: Ophrysia 

Species: Ophrysia superciliosa 

Ever since the Himalayan Quail was first described in 1846, there has been a huge debate among taxonomists and ornithologists regarding this species classification. The Himalayan Quail is not closely related to any other genus or species in the Phasianidae family. As a result, this species has been given a variety of names over the years such as Rollulus superciliosus, Malacoturnix superciliosus, Malacortyx superciliaris, and Ophrysia superciliosa (which is the current designation of the species today) (Rieger and Waltzthöny, 1993).