Boldly-patterned quail-like bird, often in small flocks on dry rocky slopes with sparse grass and brush.
At a glance
Sounds
Range map
Range map
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
Male and female similar. Overall pale sandy brownish-gray with bold black stripe on the face. Also look for red bill and legs and black stripes on sides. Song is a series of scratchy notes; sounds like it’s saying its name with emphasis on the second syllable: “chuKAR, chuKAR, chuKAR.” Native to Asia and the Middle East, where range barely overlaps with any similar species; note creamy throat to help separate from Rock Partridge. Introduced and well-established in western North America, New Zealand, and Hawaii; escaped cage birds or hunting stock can occur elsewhere.
Behavior
Usually seen scurrying around on the ground, but males perch conspicuously when singing, often on large rocks.
Gallery