Quail is a term used to represent several genera of birds that are usually mid-size birds. Quail symbolism dates back centuries and many cultures around the world used it in their rituals, beliefs and art.
There are several groups in which we sort these mid-size birds into and term used for several quails is flock or bevy.
Quail traits and characteristics
Before we get into the subject of this article, we will look at few characteristics that are essential for quails. They are their unique traits that will help us understand their symbolism better.
Awareness – Like all birds, quails are very careful an always aware of their surroundings. This kind of behavior helps them survive and without being careful 24/7, they would easily become food for bigger animals.
Dependent – Quails always live and travel in flocks. They love that feeling of community and since they are not large birds, this is the only way they can survive. They constantly take care of each other and help each other out in time of need.
Intelligent – Although they aren’t the biggest birds in the nature, they are one of the smartest. They use their intelligence to survive and feed themselves. Their intelligence astounds people when they learn more about quail rituals and habits, and only then we realize how special these birds are.
Now that we have learned more about general quail traits, we will get into the symbolic nature of this bird. You will notice that people have used these traits to portray quails in a certain way and form a universal symbolism.
Quail as a totem
As a totem, quail is a symbol of communication and social relations. These are two key characteristics of people protected by quail totems or who have quail as their spirit animal.
People born under this totem love being around people and being part of any kind of social gathering. They enjoy sharing their thoughts and ideas with others and learning new things every day. They are very skilled when it comes to communicating their ideas to others and they rarely get into misunderstandings.
Perfect jobs for them are all jobs that require team work and strong sense of community. They are natural born managers, journalists and debaters, who always get their points across.
Another trait these people share is dependency. Many would say that this is a flaw and in some extent it is. They can become too clingy and pushy to other people especially in the beginning of the relationship. This is definitely not a trait all people love but if you look at it from another perspective, it can be seen as a trait.
If you devote these people your time and patience, you will gain a friend for life. They never betray their friends and most of them have friends from childhood. They value friendships and relationships they have built over the years. They will always be by your side when it is tough and give you honest advice whenever you need it.
They are also dependent to their families. They enjoy spending time with their parents and cousins and love family reunions. This is a chance for them to recollect on old memories and see people they haven’t seen in ages.
When it comes to work place and school these people are the most effective and hard-working. There isn’t any job they wouldn’t do or any task that is too hard for them. They are extremely diligent and responsible and value other people’s time and effort.
They can perform almost any job but the ones they enjoy are usually linked to communication and tam-work.
Quail people are very protective of their lives. They wouldn’t let anyone or anything interfere with their peace. This is partially because they always work hard to achieve things and make a better life for themselves, so taking that away from them is unforgiveable.
They understand what are the priorities in life and how to manage things in the order they need to be managed. They are never going to forget about people who helped them, sometime in the past, or about things that are important in life.
Quail people are family people with a lot of heart and soul for others, but they do expect the same in return. They are always aware of everything around them and as soon as someone tries to ruin what they have been working for, these people are going to cut that person from their life.
They can be overprotective when it comes to their children and they love when their offspring listen to their advice. This is all in good nature, of course, and only for their own good.
Overall, Quail people are very stable and productive people, with a lot of affection and patience for the people they love.
Quail as a symbol in a dream
Dreams about quail can have different meanings. This largely depends on the overall feeling in the dream and other symbols that were present.
If you had a dream about quail, then this dream represents good luck. All of your future projects are going to be successful and everything you start right now, is going to bring you a lot of good things.
If you had a dream about dead quail, then this dream brings you bad luck. It is better for you to lay low for a while and avoid starting anything new, because it is going to end up badly.
Dream about hunting for quail is a representation of opportunities that are ahead of you. These opportunities are going to bring something new into your life and you should definitely take a chance and go for them.
Dreams about eating quail are representation of good life you are currently leading. Everything seems to be in order and nothing needs additional work. Enjoy this period while it lasts and take every opportunity you get.
Dreams about killing quail Is a dream about betrayal. Someone close to you will try to hurt you or make you feel bad about something.
Quail as a symbol in different cultures
As a symbol in different cultures, quail has been present for centuries. Native Americans considered quail to be modest and humble birds, and some tribes even have dances devoted to these birds. They associated quail with the earth and used it as food.
In Middle Age, quail was considered to be a delicacy among royalty and it was often served as main dish to the royals. Hunting for quail was a part of everyday life, and this practice was mostly reserved for royal hunters.
In Greek mythology Artemis, goddess of hunt, lived on Quail Island. These birds were also protectors of Germanic farmers who captured quail and used them as protection for lightning strikes. Quail was often associated with hunting and was considered to be a symbol for nature and good hunt.
Today, quail is still one of the most common dishes served and considered to be a delicacy. Hunting for quail is still popular in many countries around the world. The only difference is that it is not reserved only for royalty anymore.
Overall, these birds are symbols of humble life, community and family. Their symbolism remained the same for centuries and it will probably remain the same in the future.