Black-rumped Buttonquail
Encyclopedia
The Black-rumped Buttonquail (Turnix hottentottus) is a small species of bird
in the buttonquail
genus.
It is found in open grassland through much of Africa
outside the forested and more arid regions. It is resident in the central parts of the range but is a migratory
breeder further north.
This species has a brown back, rufous chest, and pale belly. As usual for buttonquails but not for most birds, the female is larger and brighter than the male. This species is shy and difficult to flush.
Most of the range is occupied by the subspecies T. h. nanus, which has brown irides
and a black rump, and is sometimes split into a distinct species. The nominate subspecies, T. h. hottentottus, the Hottentot Buttonquail, which is confined to coastal fynbos
in South Africa
, has pale irides and a paler rump.
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
in the buttonquail
Buttonquail
Buttonquail or hemipodes are members of a small family of birds, Turnicidae, which resemble, but are unrelated to, the quails of Phasianidae. They inhabit warm grasslands in Asia, Africa, Europe, and Australia...
genus.
It is found in open grassland through much of Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
outside the forested and more arid regions. It is resident in the central parts of the range but is a migratory
Bird migration
Bird migration is the regular seasonal journey undertaken by many species of birds. Bird movements include those made in response to changes in food availability, habitat or weather. Sometimes, journeys are not termed "true migration" because they are irregular or in only one direction...
breeder further north.
This species has a brown back, rufous chest, and pale belly. As usual for buttonquails but not for most birds, the female is larger and brighter than the male. This species is shy and difficult to flush.
Most of the range is occupied by the subspecies T. h. nanus, which has brown irides
Iris (anatomy)
The iris is a thin, circular structure in the eye, responsible for controlling the diameter and size of the pupils and thus the amount of light reaching the retina. "Eye color" is the color of the iris, which can be green, blue, or brown. In some cases it can be hazel , grey, violet, or even pink...
and a black rump, and is sometimes split into a distinct species. The nominate subspecies, T. h. hottentottus, the Hottentot Buttonquail, which is confined to coastal fynbos
Fynbos
Fynbos is the natural shrubland or heathland vegetation occurring in a small belt of the Western Cape of South Africa, mainly in winter rainfall coastal and mountainous areas with a Mediterranean climate...
in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, has pale irides and a paler rump.