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Typically inhabits dense wet-grassland habitats.
VIC: Vulnerable
Indigenous: Black-Spotted Quail, Black-Backed Quail, Black-Spotted Turnix, Red-Backed Quail, Orange-Breasted Quail
At a glance
FamilyButtonquail
SizeSmall
RarityUncommon
HabitatClosed forest, Grassland, Open woodland, Sparse woodland, and Waterbodies
Best timeMost reliable in Queensland from October to January.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by Tom Tarrant
Range map
Range map
507visible hotspots
2185visible records
4states
SparseModerateDense hotspot
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
Tiny secretive button-quail. This species is very secretive, and most commonly observed exploding from cover and flying rapidly away - look for pale patches on the wings contrasting with a darker back and wing tips. Has a reddish-brown collar, yellow bill and clear black spots extending down from below the eye to the wing.
Behavior
Typically inhabits dense wet-grassland habitats. Call is a soft repeated ‘oom-oom-oom-oom’ with the end of each note ascending in pitch.
Gallery