Painted Buttonquail
A species of Buttonquail Scientific name : Turnix varius Genus : Buttonquail
Painted Buttonquail, A species of Buttonquail
Botanical name: Turnix varius
Genus: Buttonquail
Content
Description General Info
Description
The painted buttonquail is about 19 to 20 cm (7.5 to 7.9 in) long. It is a ground-dwelling bird and is found in grassy forests and woodlands. It feeds on insects and seeds, and the males incubate the eggs for a fortnight and then care for the young. The female is the more brightly coloured of the sexes. Her eyes are red, and her crown, face and breast are flecked with white. Her shoulders are chestnut with thin white streaking above them. The male is slightly smaller and duller in colour.
Size
23 cm
Feeding Habits
Painted Buttonquail consumes a diet of seeds, fruits, green shoots, and invertebrates, notably during nocturnal, crepuscular, and diurnal foraging. Utilizes a distinctive 'pivot-and-rake' scratching method to create circular scrapes for feeding. Often ingests grit for digestion, and feeds singly, in pairs, or small groups.
Habitat
The painted Buttonquail's habitat predominantly includes scrub, grassland, and various types of forests including Banksia and Acacia woodlands. They thrive in areas with dense vegetation that provide ample ground cover such as leaf litter, fallen timber, and tussocky grass, often in areas with stony ridges or slopes. They are also known to breed in habitats with similar characteristics. Occasionally, painted Buttonquail may be found in coastal dune scrub and suburban gardens, likely during migratory movements.
Dite type
Omnivorous
General Info
Distribution Area
The painted buttonquail is native to Australia. Its range extends from Queensland southwards to New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania. A separate population is present in the southwestern part of Western Australia. The subspecies Turnix varius scintillans is endemic to the Houtman Abrolhos islands off the west coast of Australia. Another subspecies, Turnix varius novaecaledoniae was endemic to New Caledonia but is believed to be extinct as it has not been recorded since 1912. The painted buttonquail became established on Rottnest Island around 2002.
Species Status
The painted buttonquail has a wide range. An estimate of the population size has not been made but numbers are suspected to be in decline. It is said to be common in suitable habitat in some areas and uncommon in others. The IUCN has listed it as being of "Least Concern".
Scientific Classification
Phylum
Chordates Class
Birds Order
Shorebirds Family
Hemipodes Genus
Buttonquail Species
Painted Buttonquail