Bird guideBlack-breasted Buttonquail

The female makes a low-pitched oom call – a sequence of 5–7 notes that last 1.5–2.0 seconds each – which can be repeated 14–21 (or less commonly 1–4) times.

⚠️Vulnerable
🌿Endemic to Australia
🍃Indigenous: Black-Fronted Quail, Black-Breasted Quail, Black-Breasted Turnix

At a glance

FamilyButtonquail
SizeSmall
RarityUncommon
HabitatThe black-breasted buttonquail is usually found in rainforests , foraging on the ground for invertebrates in large areas of thick leaf litter .
Best timeReported across most months in Queensland, with no narrow seasonal peak.

Sounds

Sound sample
0:000:00
Recorded by Peter Boesman

Range map

Range map

114visible hotspots
1614visible records
2states
Low confidenceMediumHigh confidence

Aggregated occurance data is sourced from 14 different actively-updating datasets including eBird Australia, iNaturalist Australia, BirdLife Australia, and multiple state-based bird surveys through Atlas of Living Australia.

Species notes

Overview

Heavily patterned, with pale and dark mark markings below. Female has a mostly black head, heavily marked underparts, and a pale eye (Painted Buttonquail has a red eye); male has paler face, pale eye, and is less richly marked below. Vocalizations include a repeated clucking call.

Behavior

When feeding, this species creates deep, circular depressions in the leaf litter; searching for the presence of these depressions is often the best way to locate it.

Regional timing

Queensland
Peak: July to May1,604 records
New South Wales
Peak: June10 records

Commonly confused with

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