Evolutionary history of an island endemic, the Azorean common quail.

Oceanic islands are characterized by conditions that favour diversification into endemic lineages that can be very different from their mainland counterparts. This can be the result of fast phenotypic divergence due to drift or the result of slower adaptation to local conditions. This uniqueness can obscure their evolutionary history.

Massive genome inversion drives coexistence of divergent morphs in common quails.

The presence of population-specific phenotypes often reflects local adaptation or barriers to gene flow. The co-occurrence of phenotypic polymorphisms that are restricted within the range of a highly mobile species is more difficult to explain. An example of such polymorphisms is in the common quail Coturnix coturnix, a small migratory bird that moves widely during the breeding season in search of new mating opportunities, following ephemeral habitats, and whose females may lay successive clutches at different locations while migrating.

Comment on: "Synchronizing biological cycles as key to survival under a scenario of global change: The Common quail (Coturnix coturnix) strategy" by Nadal, J., Ponz, C., Margalida, A.

Nadal et al. (2018) recently reported on changes in the phenology of the Common quail (Coturnix coturnix) in seven cloudy regions of Spain in relation to climate change. The authors used a long-term ringing database (1961-2014) and calculated the mean date for three biological stages: arrival at the breeding areas, stay and autumn departure.

Are farm-reared quails for game restocking really common quails (Coturnix coturnix)?: a genetic approach.

The common quail (Coturnix coturnix) is a popular game species for which restocking with farm-reared individuals is a common practice. In some areas, the number of released quails greatly surpasses the number of wild breeding common quail. However, common quail are difficult to raise in captivity and this casts suspicion about a possible hybrid origin of the farmed individuals from crosses with domestic Japanese quail (C.