[4] The species has had a complex taxonomic history, being classified into the genus Coturnix, then Synoicus, then Excalfactoria.

[2] It ranges from Sierra Leone to Ethiopia, and south to Zambia, and eastward to Kenya.

Inhabiting mainly grassland and fields, the birds typically live near rivers or other bodies of water.

The colour of the eyes varies from brown in the juvenile to red in the breeding male.

[2] The male's plumage is mostly dark slaty-blue, with rufous patches on its wings.

The forehead, sides of the head and neck, and flanks of the female are orange-buff.

[8] The blue quail has a large range and appears to have a stable population trend.