Wikijunior:Extinct Birds/New Zealand Quail

The New Zealand quail (Coturnix novaezelandiae) is also called the koreke and has been extinct since 1875.

Description

They are brown with some white. Females were slightly bigger than males.

Distribution

They were found in New Zealand. They were mainly found in grassland. Their population increased when the Maori arrived, since they destroyed some of the forest, hence creating grassland.

Diet

We do not really know what they ate, though we think they were herbivores. We believe they ate flowers, seeds and leaves.

Extinction

They became extinct due to grasslands being made into farmland and hunting.

Song

Their song sounded like 'twit, twit, twit, twee-twit’.