Andalusian Coturnix Quail
A blue-grey dilute with a lavender cast — scarce, striking, and a variety where buying from a knowledgeable breeder matters more than usual.
What they look like
Andalusians run smoky blue-grey with a soft lavender tone, usually with darker shading along the back. Shade varies bird to bird more than in most varieties — some read silvery, some slate, some distinctly purple-grey in sunlight.
How the genetics work
US 'Andalusian' lines behave as an incompletely-expressed dilute family, and breeders report variable outcomes when crossing them — shade segregates rather than breeding perfectly uniform. It's a variety still being standardized, which is part of the appeal for genetics-minded keepers and part of the frustration for uniformity-minded ones.
Sexing Andalusians
Not feather-sexable. Vent/foam at 5–7 weeks.
Eggs, size & production
Standard for the line; many Andalusian lines are still small-framed relative to jumbo stock — ask for weights if size matters to you.
Who this variety is for
Collectors and color breeders who want something few visitors have seen, and who enjoy selecting toward consistency in a young variety.
Before you buy
Expect premium prices and variable hatches. Ask the breeder how uniform their adults run and what off-shades to expect — an honest answer builds trust; 'they all come out perfect' does not.
Keep or breed Andalusian?
Show off your birds and compare notes in the free Quail Keeper Community — keepers post their coveys, hatch results, and honest line reviews. Joining also unlocks the Quail Keeper Max app free.
Planning a Andalusian breeding project?
Quail Keeper Max has a built-in color genetics calculator — pick two parents and see what the hatch should throw — plus pedigree tracking, breeding pair records, and hatch-rate stats so you can actually see which pairings work. It's the tool this guide's genetics notes come from.
Try the genetics calculator free →Free plan included · No credit card required
Related varieties
A note from one keeper to another: variety names in Coturnix are not tightly standardized — different breeders' lines under the same name can differ in shade, size, and how crosses behave, and several newer varieties are still being mapped by the breeding community. Treat this guide as a working keeper's reference, buy from breeders who know their lines' genetics, and trust real hatch results over any label.