The word quail is vague. There are many vocabulary meanings behind it and when in context, there can be confusion what you are referencing to. If we are talking about a bird, we need to know what species of bird. There is not just one quail in the world after all.
There is still misinformation on the world wide web and older textbooks on the definition of quail, specifics on breeds and species, and confusion among two families of quail. Quail are game birds. The true definition of a game bird is a bird that is typical hunted for food. These birds are not domesticated, and considered wild. Quail have these tendencies and although many species have been domesticated, the wild instinct will be there, as that is a form of their survival and characteristic.
Quail should not be mistaken with chicken. Chicken are domesticated birds. They are also in the order of galliformes, however they are completely different. The Chicken originated from the Red Jungle Fowl, and many breeds have been created since. Chickens have breeds, such as the Silkie and Marans. Each breed has varieties within them. These varieties are color mutations. For Example, Silkies not only are white, but they can be blue, black, buff, and porcelain, in variety, as well as mixtures in between. Chicken are from one family, the Phasianidiae.
Breed vs Species
Quail terminology is very different than chicken. They are more wild than domesticated, although many of the Old World Quail are domesticated and will be discussed. Quail do not have breeds. Instead they are referred to as Species. Within each species, there can be a subspecies. Within the species and subspecies, there are varieties, which are color mutations. For example, the Coturnix quail has eight species,
Within these species, there are color mutations, known as varieties. The Japanese quail have over 30 color varieties. The color varieties and species get complicated, however with a simple understanding that these are very different than chicken, it gets easier from here on out.
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