Black-breasted Buttonquail

The black-breasted buttonquail is found from Hervey Bay in central Queensland south to the northeastern corner of New South Wales, generally in areas receiving 770–1200 mm (30–48 in) rainfall annually. It is rare and its habitat is fragmented. It is found in dry rainforest and nearby areas, as well as bottle tree (Brachychiton rupestris) scrub, lantana thickets. and mature hoop pine (Araucaria cunninghamii) plantations with a closed canopy and developed undergrowth. It is found in Palmgrove National Park, which has consequently been identified by BirdLife International as an Important Bird Area for the species. The black-breasted buttonquail was once populous on Inskip Point near Fraser Island, with the area a destination for birdwatchers wanting to see this species. However, there were fears that they had suffered predation. Mike West, former president of Birds Queensland, blamed dingoes and wild dogs for wiping out the population. However, as of early 2014, Queensland Parks and Wildlife staff believe that at least two pairs are still present at Inskip Point.

The species was classified as vulnerable until 2012 when it relisted as near threatened; most of the black-breasted buttonquail's original habitat has been cleared and the remaining populations are fragmented. The population has been estimated at as little as 2500 breeding birds and declining, with no single population containing more than 250 individuals. The dry rainforest it lives in, although often adjacent to wet rainforest, is often located outside of national parks and protected areas and is thus at risk from further clearance for agriculture or development. Since European settlement, 90% of its habitat has been lost and much of what is left is fragmented. Furthermore, fieldwork in southeast Queensland showed that it did not forage in remnants under 7 hectares in area. It is listed as vulnerable in Queensland and as near threatened on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List of endangered species.