Sequential staining with a counterstain-contrasted fluorescent R-banding technique (chromomycin A3/distamycin A-DAPI) followed by DAPI-actinomycin D-induced quinacrine-fluorescence-Hoechst 33258 (QFH)-type banding allowed the identification of quail chromosomes up to chromosome 19. The chromomycin A3-positive staining behavior of the W chromosome and of the heterochromatic areas of most microchromosomes indicated their GC-rich nature.