David,
In the Blue Mountains I have on several occasions found Stubble Quail in
heath at up to 1000 metres altitude. Each time they were in low shrubland
with the only trees, if any, being scattered Blue Mountains Mallees. At the
time it seemed rather strange to hear this species calling through the mist
on an exposed and windswept mountain ridge.
Cheers
Carol
Carol Probets
Katoomba
Blue Mountains NSW
At 6:38 PM +1000 5/6/02, David McDonald wrote:
>Last weekend I was walking in a delightful part of the Kosciuszko National
>Park: the Tantangara area. I was on the ridge between the Tantangara Road
>and Boggy Plains at an altitude of about 1460 metres. Our group came upon
>some quails. Others got a glimpse of them on the ground - more than two
>birds - and I flushed one. I'm not confident as to the species
>identification. I did not hear any calls. Surely, though, they were Brown
>or Stubble Quail?
>
>The habitat is fairly thick Snow Gums with a tussock grass and low shrub
>understory. This is not a setting in which I would expect to see quails. Of
>course, they are normally found in grassland, though HANZAB mentions
>Stubble Quail in alpine herbfields.
>
>Any comments? Do others find it odd that quails will be in Snow Gums at
>this altitude?
>
>David McDonald
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