Buff-breasted Buttonquail
Encyclopedia
The Buff-breasted Buttonquail (Turnix olivei) is the largest and possibly the rarest of the buttonquail
. This species is endemic to extreme northeastern Australia
, in northern Queensland
from near Coen
to Mareeba west of Cairns.
and the Brown Quail
both coexist with this species. The Buff-breasted is larger (and longer-legged) than either and is quite different different from the all-dark quail. The Painted species is almost totally mottled, with bold white spotting on the breast and no warm buff coloration. The most similar species to the Buff-breasted is the Chestnut-backed Buttonquail, which does not overlap in the wild.
The advertising (or booming) call made by the female is ooom-oom-oom, repeated up to 20 times. The notes are almost inaudible initially, then become gradually louder, higher-pitched and shorter until they are far-carrying. The males will respond with a deep, rapid chu-chu-chu whistle. Other calls, perhaps in reaction to danger, include gug-gug-gug, a soft chirp-chirp-chirp and a loud kwaare-kwaare.
, Acacia
, Alphitonia
and Tristania
. They have been seen in area of heavy scrub ground cover, up to 1 m (3.3 ft) -high in some cases, but can also be seen in rocky areas where almost no scrub cover is present.
overgrazing, sites made unsuitable by fire regimes and general habitat clearances to make way for human habitation.
s and seed
s, with sand used as a digestion aid.
and nidifugous
.
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...
. This species is endemic to extreme northeastern Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, in northern Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
from near Coen
Coen
Coen may refer to:"Coen" - is a Germanic variant of the name "Conrad", most popular in the Dutch language. It is originally spelled as "Coenraad" or "Koenraad", with just the "raad" deleted off. Both variations are made up from two words: "koen" and "raad" ...
to Mareeba west of Cairns.
Description
The Buff-breasted Buttonquail measures from 18–23 cm (7.1–9.1 in) and usually weighs over 110 grams (3.9 oz). Both the tail and wings are short. The back is chestnut. The sides of the head are marked with chestnut on an otherwise plain gray head; while the breast is warm buff-colored. The Painted ButtonquailPainted Buttonquail
Painted Button quail, Turnix varius, is a species of button quail, the family Turnicidae, which resemble, but are unrelated to, the quails of Phasianidae. This species is resident in Australia....
and the Brown Quail
Brown Quail
The Brown Quail , also known as Swamp Quail, is an Australasian true quail of the family Phasianidae.The Brown Quail is distributed in agricultural areas, wet grasslands, shrublands and freshwater wetlands across much of New Guinea and the Lesser Sunda Islands as well as in northern, eastern,...
both coexist with this species. The Buff-breasted is larger (and longer-legged) than either and is quite different different from the all-dark quail. The Painted species is almost totally mottled, with bold white spotting on the breast and no warm buff coloration. The most similar species to the Buff-breasted is the Chestnut-backed Buttonquail, which does not overlap in the wild.
The advertising (or booming) call made by the female is ooom-oom-oom, repeated up to 20 times. The notes are almost inaudible initially, then become gradually louder, higher-pitched and shorter until they are far-carrying. The males will respond with a deep, rapid chu-chu-chu whistle. Other calls, perhaps in reaction to danger, include gug-gug-gug, a soft chirp-chirp-chirp and a loud kwaare-kwaare.
Distribution and habitat
These birds favor lowland, subcoastal grasslands or woodlands. They may be found at any elevation to 400 m (1320 ft). Reports describe this species as dependent on grassy woods made up of MelaleucaMelaleuca
Melaleuca is a genus of plants in the myrtle family Myrtaceae known for its natural soothing and cleansing properties. There are well over 200 recognised species, most of which are endemic to Australia...
, Acacia
Acacia
Acacia is a genus of shrubs and trees belonging to the subfamily Mimosoideae of the family Fabaceae, first described in Africa by the Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus in 1773. Many non-Australian species tend to be thorny, whereas the majority of Australian acacias are not...
, Alphitonia
Alphitonia
Alphitonia is an arborescent genus of flowering plants with about 20 species, belonging to the buckthorn family of the rosid eudicots. It occurs in tropical regions of Southeast Asia, Oceania and Polynesia. These are large trees or shrubs. In Australia, these plants are often called "ash trees" or...
and Tristania
Tristania
Tristania is a monotypic genus, native to New South Wales, Australia, closely related to Cistemon. The genus had a number of species, but some have been reclassified as Lophostemon and Tristaniopsis....
. They have been seen in area of heavy scrub ground cover, up to 1 m (3.3 ft) -high in some cases, but can also be seen in rocky areas where almost no scrub cover is present.
Conservation status
The Buff-breasted Buttonquail is an endangered species, with a population estimated at 500 individuals and an historical range of 2070 km². (1286 square miles). They have been extirpated from large portions of their original range, probably due in part due to cattleCattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
overgrazing, sites made unsuitable by fire regimes and general habitat clearances to make way for human habitation.
Behaviour
Very few people see the Buff-breasted Buttonquail due partially to its tiny range and also due to its inconspicuous disposition. They usually walk or run in areas where they are well camouflaged, almost never leaving the ground except when absolutely needed. They reside in the same areas usually, but local movements have been recorded, probably in response to seasonal habitat changes.Diet
Details of their diet are little known, but (like most buttonquail) they probably live off of insectInsect
Insects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
s and seed
Seed
A seed is a small embryonic plant enclosed in a covering called the seed coat, usually with some stored food. It is the product of the ripened ovule of gymnosperm and angiosperm plants which occurs after fertilization and some growth within the mother plant...
s, with sand used as a digestion aid.
Breeding
These birds are known to be solitary breeders. The breeding season is January through March. The nest is a shallow depression with a dome of grasses and a side entrance, which itself is lined with grasses and leaves. Usually the nest site is well obscured behind grasses, low scrubs or tussock. Two to four round eggs (usually 3) are laid. The eggs are whitish and speckled with chestnut, bluish-gray or black. The incubation period is unknown, but the male is thought to assume all incubation and chick-care activities. The young are precocialPrecocial
In biology, the term precocial refers to species in which the young are relatively mature and mobile from the moment of birth or hatching. The opposite developmental strategy is called "altricial," where the young are born or hatched helpless. Extremely precocial species may be called...
and nidifugous
Nidifugous
Nidifugous organisms are those that leave the nest shortly after hatching or birth. It is derived from Latin nidus for "nest" and fugere meaning "to flee". The terminology is most often used to describe birds and was introduced by Lorenz Oken in 1916...
.