Black-breasted Buttonquail
A species of Buttonquail Scientific name : Turnix melanogaster Genus : Buttonquail
Black-breasted Buttonquail, A species of Buttonquail
Botanical name: Turnix melanogaster
Genus: Buttonquail
Content
Description General Info
Description
The black-breasted buttonquail is a plump quail-shaped bird of predominantly marbled black, rufous and pale brown, marked prominently with white spots and stripes, and white eyes. Like other buttonquails, the female is larger and more distinctively coloured than the male. Measuring up to 20 cm (8 in), it has a black face and chin, sprinkled with fine white markings. The smaller male measures up to 19 cm (7.5 in) and lacks the black markings. The black markings and large size of the female and the dark markings and whitish face of the male distinguish the species from the painted buttonquail (Turnix varius). The female makes a low-pitched oom call. The male utters an ak ak call when separated from others in its covey. The globular pellets of the black-breasted buttonquail have a distinctive hook at the end, in contrast to those of the co-occurring painted buttonquail, which are more cylindrical and gently curved. 
Size
19 cm
Feeding Habits
Black-breasted Buttonquail scrape ground leaf litter to form feeding sites, predominantly consuming invertebrates like ants, beetles, spiders, centipedes, millipedes, and snails. They display unique foraging techniques using alternate leg movements to create circular depressions for uncovering prey.
Habitat
The black-breasted Buttonquail predominantly inhabits moist forests, including rainforests, vine thickets, and dry scrub areas rich in leaf litter. It is also found in certain plantations with a well-developed understorey and occasionally in closed forests, provided there is lush vegetation understory. It shows a preference for areas with a yearly rainfall between 770-1200 mm. Habitats dominated by introduced thickets such as Lantana are also favored, but open grass or stubble fields are typically avoided.
Dite type
Granivorous
General Info
Distribution Area
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.
Species Status
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.
Scientific Classification
Phylum
Chordates Class
Birds Order
Shorebirds Family
Hemipodes Genus
Buttonquail Species
Black-breasted Buttonquail 
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