Red-chested Button-quail

Images ©:
The State of Victoria, Department of Environment and Primary Industry/McCann | Mark Antos

Turnix pyrrhothorax

Small bird, up to 16 cm. Blue-grey beak. Pink legs and feet. Pale eyes. The female is larger and more brightly coloured than the male. When disturbed it scuttles through the grass or flies low with whirring wings often showing its white flanks before it drops to cover.

Details
Type
Bird
Group
Animals
Button-quail
Biology

Breeding season: any time of the year, after rains providing good conditions. Clutch size is three to four. Nest is on the ground where suitable cover can be found, such as under overhanging grasses, small shrubs or fallen branches. Nest itself is a scrape in the ground lined with grass or fine sticks. It sometimes has a hood and has a tunnel-like track leading to the entrance. The male incubates the eggs, broods and feeds the young.
Distinctive Markings

Uniform grey-brown on its upper side. Orange-chestnut flanks.
Taxonomy
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Aves
Order
Passeriformes
Family
Turdidae
Genus
Turnix
Species
pyrrhothorax

Source: Atlas of Living Australia

Red-chested buttonquails are partial migrants. They are known to have seasonal migration between inland arid regions to semi-arid areas nearer the coast, from winter to spring and summer. Some populations remain in one region all year round.

Interesting Facts
Diet

Omnivore. Feeds on grass seeds and insects (cockroaches, ants, flies and larvae).
Habitat

Found in grasslands.
Native Status
Native to Australia
Audio
Sounds
The female is known to display a repetitive advertising call of ÒoomÓ note. Disturbed birds utter a sharp chattering call. Adults are also known to communicate various soft whistles and chirrups.