Quail is a collective name for several
genera of mid-sized
birds generally placed in the order
Galliformes.
Old World quail are placed in the family
Phasianidae, and
New World quail are placed in the family
Odontophoridae. The species of
buttonquail are namedfor their superficial resemblance to quail, and form the
family Turnicidae in the
order Charadriiformes. The
king quail, an Old World quail, often is sold in the pet trade, and within this trade is commonly, though mistakenly, referred to as a "button quail". Many of the common larger species are farm-raised for
table food or
egg consumption, and are
hunted on game farms or in the wild, where they may be released to supplement the wild population, or extend into areas outside their natural range. In 2007, 40 million quail were produced in the U.S.