Painted Buttonquail
Turnix varius
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- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderCharadriiformes (Shorebirds and Allies)
- FamilyTurnicidae (Buttonquails)
- GenusTurnix (Buttonquail)
- SpeciesTurnix varius (Painted Buttonquail)
About the Painted Buttonquail
The painted buttonquail (Turnix varius) is a species of buttonquail, the family Turnicidae, which resemble, but are unrelated to, the quails of Phasianidae. This species is resident in Australia where numbers are believed to be in decline. A subspecies, the Abrolhos painted buttonquail (Turnix varius scintillans), is endemic to the Houtman Abrolhos islands.
The painted buttonquail was first described by the English ornithologist John Latham in 1801 under the binomial name Perdix varia. "Painted buttonquail" has been designated the official name by the International Ornithologists' Union (IOU).
Two subspecies are recognised. The possibly-extinct New Caledonian buttonquail (Turnix novaecaledoniae) of New Caledonia was formerly considered a third subspecies, but was split as a distinct species by the IOC in 2021.
The painted buttonquail is about 19 to 20 cm (7.5 to 7.9 in) long. It is a ground-dwelling bird and is found in grassy forests and woodlands. It feeds on insects and seeds, and the males incubate the eggs for a fortnight and then care for the young.
The female is the more brightly coloured of the sexes. Her eyes are red, and her crown, face... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Painted Buttonquail in Blue Mountains National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Blue Mountains National Park
Red-chested Buttonquail
Turnix pyrrhothorax
Masked Lapwing
Vanellus miles
Latham's Snipe
Gallinago hardwickii
Silver Gull
Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae
White-headed Stilt
Himantopus leucocephalus
Common Sandpiper
Actitis hypoleucos
Whiskered Tern
Chlidonias hybrida
Banded Lapwing
Vanellus tricolor
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Flinders Chase | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | Flinders Ranges National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 3 | Kosciuszko National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 4 | Great Otway National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 5 | Blue Mountains National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 6 | Royal National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 7 | Lamington National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 8 | Booderee National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 9 | Freycinet National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 10 | Springbrook National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 11 | Noosa National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 12 | Grampians National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 13 | Wilsons Promontory National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Painted Buttonquail in Blue Mountains National Park?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Painted Buttonquail sighting in Blue Mountains National Park, based on 38 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Painted Buttonquail in Blue Mountains National Park?
March has the highest sighting rate for Painted Buttonquail in Blue Mountains National Park in our monthly data.