We breed for exhibition quality

I know longer raise Button Quail, but here is information on colors and care, I left this up since there is not a whole lot of information out there on these beautiful little birds.

What Color is it?

With the advent of new varieties of button quail that arrived from Europe in 1991, a large variety of names have been used by many breeders in an attempt to identify these various mutations. This has happened to such an extent that now many different names can be found in the literature and on internet web sights, so as to confuse the true identity of some of the mutations. Prior to 1987, there were only 2 varieties of Button Quail available in the US, the normal Wild Type and the Silver. In 1987 the Red Breasted mutation was discovered and established by me. With the exception of the White Button quail imported by Cecial Gunby of GA prior to 1991, all other color varieties found in the US after that date were imported by Acadiana Aviaries, Garrie Landry, in the fall of 1991. Below you will fine a list of Button Quail mutations, their correct names and below that name other names that I have found which breeders are currently using often to suggest or designate something new or different.

Recognized mutations of the Button Quail in the US

• Normal Wild type

• Silver

• Red Breasted

• White

• Cinnamon

• Blue Face

• Golden Pearl

• Pink eyed Dilute (not well established at this time)

All other names used represent either combinations of these above colors to create a new variety or an illegitimate name used by others to designate something unique or different or incorrectly identified.

Recognized Legitimate Names for Combinations of the above varieties

• Ivory - A combination of Silver and Cinnamon

• Slate - A combination of Silver and Blue Face

• Smoky - A combination of Silver, Cinnamon and Blue Face

• Silver Red Breasted - A combination of Silver and Red Breasted

• Cinnamon Red Breast - A combination of Red Breast and Cinnamon

• Splash - A selection from within White for increased spots (this is not a pied)

• Fawn - Another name for Cinnamon often used for darker versions of Cinnamons

• Blue Face Single Factor - A name used to designate the difference within Blue Face having only one gene for BF

• Blue Face Double Factor - A name used to designate a very dark Blue Face, with 2 genes for BF, males and female often show white facial and breast markings at hatching and at maturity.

• Blue Face Cinnamon / Blue Face Fawn - a combination of Cinnamon and Blue face genes

• Silver Pearl - A combination of Silver and Golden Pearl

• Cinnamon Pearl - A combination of Cinnamon and Golden Pearl

• Blue Face Pearl - A combination of Blue Face and Golden Pearl.

Illegitimate and/or unrecognized names of Button Quail colors (this list below represents names that either are used for particular selections within a color variety or names that were used those who failed to recognize the true identity of the variety or thought it was something new and different enough to warrant a distinct name)

• Darth Vader - A selection of Red Breasted in which the male has an entirely black face. the breast may be all red or partially blue (name coined by Jeff Bridges of Colorado) *- I love and use this name though, it is quickly catching on ;) Just too awesome not to use! Love the Vaders!

• Calico - a name used by some to describe female Red Breasted Quail

• Barred - a name used by some to describe female Red Breasted Quail

• Pied - a name used by some to describe the Splash button quail and or normal wild type with some white feathers (to my knowledge no true Pied Button Quail are in the US.)

• Cream - a name used by some to describe very pale versions of the Cinnamon Button Quail.

• Tangerine - a name used apparently to describe very bright Cinnamon

• Lavender - a name used by some to describe a Cinnamon Blue Face in which the back color is very Grey against a prominent blue face and breast.(name coined by Jeff Bridges of Colorado)

• Grey Form Cinnamon Blue face - a name used by some to describe a Cinnamon Blue Face in which the back color is very grey against a prominent blue face and breast.

• Rusty Nail - A name attributed to a combination of Cinnamon, Blue face and Red Breasted and sometimes regular Cinnamon Red Breasted when the males are very red.

• White Capped - a name attributed to Golden Pearl males which often show a prominent white forehead. Females never show this color.

• Golden Red Breasted - a name used to describe brightly marked female Red Breasted Button Quail

• Blue - A name attributed to Male Blue Face Buttons (female never show blue)

• Chocolate - A name attributed to female Blue Face Buttons which generally are dark chocolate brown.

• Tuxedo - A named used to describe Double Factor Blue Face buttons what show a pronounced amount of white on the breast and often facial areas.

This list is by no means final, as new names are always appearing.

This came from Gary Landry's old site.

*side notes from me ;)

My Button Quail (European Blood Lines)

Examples of colors below:

Cinnvader Babies.

Fresh Button Quail hatching eggs ready to be wrapped and packaged.

silver pearl & cinnamon pearl chicks.

9 day old chicks

Pair of three week old silvers pearls.

cinnamon hen and white capped golden pearl male, both carry the silver gene.

I keep mine in bonded pairs.

They are pretty easy keepers for birds. They can be kept in aquariums with mesh top or reptile top, or cages with fine enough wire that they can't slip through, or they make great additions to aviaries as they keep the floors clean of wasted food from finches and canaries, etc. They  are fully mature at about 8-12 weeks. They eat a mix of chick or gamebird crumble with finch seed, I add ground eggshells for calcium, and crickets or mealworms add extra protein, or you can just grind up a handful of cat food or kitten chow and add it to their diet (that's what I do, and that's what the breeder I got my original stock from does too.) They only need small dishes for food and water since they are so tiny. I put shavings on the floor of their enclosure for bedding. When they get old enough to tell (the males develop the white mask) you can separate into pairs (a hen and a cock) or trios (2 hens & 1 cock) or keep in a colony (they just need a little more space for a colony so everyone gets along.)

Trio left to right: Darth Vader (golden red breasted) male, silver pearl hen, cinn vader (cinnamon golden red breasted) hen.

This pair I am really stumped on, a friend gave them to me, and the pix don't do them justice. I know they say caramel are only found in Australia, but they must just be a newly developed mutation, so why wouldn't develop here as well? From everything I have researched, they appear to be a caramel pair to me. They are beautiful whatever they are. We'll see what they produce, it should be interesting.

Cinn vader hen.

White hen.

Cinder-Soot, Cinnamon Golden Red Breasted (Cinn Vader) male. I have him in with my double factor blue face cinnamon hen.

Wild Child, Normal Wild Type male.

Wave Dancer, White Capped Golden Pearl male.

Silverado, Silver male.

Padmé, Silver Darth Vader (silver golden red breasted) hen.

Cinnamon Latte, Cinnamon Pearl hen.

Moulin Rouge, cinnamon red breasted hen.

Hi-Ho Silver, silver hen.

Champagne, Ivory Pearl hen.

Cinnabon, young Cinnamon Pearl hen. She is out of Cinnaburst and Wind Surfer.

White Water, Golden Pearl male. Wind Surfer x Cinnaburst

Smoothie, Silver Pearl Male (not pictured.) Wind Surfer x Cinnaburst

Pearlie, Silver Pearl Hen (not pictured.) Wind Surfer x Cinnaburst

Mintaburst, Young Silver Hen, Cinnergy, Cin Pearl, Golden Pearl

Cinnamon Mocha, Double Factor Blue Face Cinnamon (from eBay, shown as a young chick.)

Shiny, silver pearl hen out of Cinnaburst & Wind Surfer.

Sparkly, silver pearl hen by Wind Surfer x Cinnaburst.

Cinnaburst, Cinnamon Pied hen adult (note white flight feathers.)

Wind Surfer, White Capped Golden Pearl Male Adult

Cinnamon Pied Adult Hen (one of my original stock from ebay hatching eggs)

The Offspring of my originals:

golden pearl male 9.5 wks (hatched 10/03/09)

Red breasted male 9.5 wks (hatched 10/03/09)

red breasted male

golden red breasted (darth vader) hen 8.5 wks (hatched 10/11/09)

golden red breasted (darth vader) hen

normal wild type male at 8.5 wks (hatched 10/11/09)

cinnamon hen at 8.5 wks (hatched 10/11/09)

cinnamon hen

red breasted hen 8.5 wks (hatched 10/11/09)

red breasted hen

normal wild type male 8.5 wks (hatched 10/11/09)

My original European Button Quail #1:

10 wks silver pearl hen

6 wks silver pearl hen

European Button Quail #2:

6 wks silver pied hen (note white flight feathers.)

European Button Quail #3:

10 wks white capped golden pearl cock

6 wks golden pearl male

European Button Quail #4:

10 wks cinnamon pied hen

6 wks cinnamon pied hen

European Button Quail #5:

10 wks red breasted hen

6 wks red breasted hen

European Button Quail #6

10 wks silver male

6 wks silver male

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