Coturnix novaezelandiae

## *Coturnix novaezelandiae* - **New Zealand Quail**

* Time of Extinction: 19th Century
* Date of Extinction: 1875
* Ecozone: Australasian
* Range: New Zealand
* Island Taxa: YES
* Megafauna: NO
* Genus Extinct: No
* Family Extinct: No
* Order Extinct: No
* Closest Living Relative: Coturnix (sp. unknown?)
* Conservation Status of Closest Living Relative: LC
* Time diverged from Closest Living Relative: Unknown

## Existence over past 50.000 years:

 **X**
 **X**
 **X**

*Each cell represents 1.000 years. If the bottom-right cell is filled the species went extinct after 1500 AD.*

## Description

The **New Zealand quail** (*Coturnix novaezelandiae*), or ***koreke*** (the Māori name), has been extinct since 1875. The male and female were similar, except the female was lighter. The first scientist to describe it was Sir Joseph Banks when he visited New Zealand on James Cook's first voyage. Terrestrial and temperate, this species inhabited lowland tussock grassland and open fernlands.[2] The first specimen to be obtained by a European was collected in 1827 by Jean René Constant Quoy and Joseph Paul Gaimard on Dumont D'Urville's voyage.

Research was conducted between 2007 and 2009 into whether the quails on Tiritiri Matangi Island – which was spared the worst impact of introduced predators – might be a surviving population of this species, or *koreke*-brown quail (*Coturnix ypsilophora*) hybrids.[3] However, a genetic study showed instead that the quail on Tiritiri Matangi are Australian

brown quail, *Coturnix ypsilophora*.[4] Sequences were derived for all quail species within the Australian and New Zealand *Coturnix sp*. complex.[5]

It has sometimes been considered conspecific with the Australian stubble quail *Coturnix pectoralis*, which would then be named *Coturnix novaezelandiae pectoralis*
 as the New Zealand bird was described first. However, the genetic
analysis showed that they are separate though closely related species.[6]

## External links

\* [http://www.nzbirds.com/birds/koreke.html Koreke, the New Zealand Quail] (with pictures, article, taxonomy, & description).
\* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110607234754/http://nlbif.eti.uva.nl/naturalis/detail?lang=uk&id=46 3D view] of specimens RMNH 110.051 and RMNH 110.052 at [[Naturalis]], Leiden (requires [[QuickTime]] browser plugin).
\* [http://collections.tepapa.govt.nz/imagepopup.aspx?width=640&height=640&irn=40960&mode=zoom&title=New+Zealand+Quail+%2f+Koreke.+Coturnix+novaezelandiae.+From+the+series%3a+Extinct+Birds+of+New+Zealand.&ack=%c2%a9+Museum+of+New+Zealand+Te+Papa+Tongarewa ''New Zealand Quail / Koreke. Coturnix novaezelandiae'']. by Paul Martinson. Artwork produced for the book ''Extinct Birds of New Zealand'', by Alan Tennyson, Te Papa Press, Wellington, 2006
\*[http://collections.tepapa.govt.nz/objectdetails.aspx?oid=901320 ''The Quail (male and female) Coturnix Novae Zealandie''] by Johannes Keulemans in the collection of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
\*[http://collections.tepapa.govt.nz/imagepopup.aspx?width=640&height=640&irn=110681&mode=zoom&title=New+Zealand+Quail+(Koreke)&ack= ''New Zealand Quail''] by George Lodge, 1913 in the collection of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

{{Birds of New Zealand}}
{{Portal bar|Birds|New Zealand}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q733377}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:quail, New Zealand}}
[[Category:Coturnix|New Zealand quail]]
[[Category:Extinct birds of New Zealand]]
[[Category:Bird extinctions since 1500]]
[[Category:Species made extinct by human activities]]
[[Category:Birds described in 1830|New Zealand quail]]
[[Category:Species endangered by disease]]