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 Great Otway National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Great Otway National Park
Silver Gull
Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae
Masked Lapwing
Vanellus miles
Crested Tern
Thalasseus bergii
Hooded Plover
Thinornis cucullatus
Pacific Gull
Larus pacificus
Sooty Oystercatcher
Haematopus fuliginosus
Latham's Snipe
Gallinago hardwickii
Black-bellied Plover
Pluvialis squatarola
Pacific Golden-Plover
Pluvialis fulva
Whiskered Tern
Chlidonias hybrida
Caspian Tern
Hydroprogne caspia
Red-necked Stint
Calidris ruficollis
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 Great Otway National Park?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Painted Buttonquail sighting in Great Otway National Park, based on 32 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Painted Buttonquail in Great Otway National Park?
December has the highest sighting rate for Painted Buttonquail in Great Otway National Park in our monthly data.