Painted Buttonquail

Painted Buttonquail

Turnix varius

Silhouette: PhyloPic · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered Endemic
Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Kosciuszko National Park
14 Verified sightings at Kosciuszko National Park From 2019 to 2026
147 Verified sightings across all 13 parks From 2019 to 2026
January Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

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 →

Closest Relatives at Kosciuszko National Park

Masked Lapwing
LC

Masked Lapwing

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Vanellus miles

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Silver Gull

Silver Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Latham's Snipe
NT

Latham's Snipe

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Gallinago hardwickii

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Flinders Chase 🇦🇺 Australia
~10%
2 Flinders Ranges National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
3 Kosciuszko National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
4 Great Otway National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
5 Blue Mountains National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
6 Royal National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
7 Lamington National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
8 Booderee National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
9 Freycinet National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
10 Springbrook National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
11 Noosa National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
12 Grampians National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
13 Wilsons Promontory National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Painted Buttonquail in Kosciuszko National Park?

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Painted Buttonquail sighting in Kosciuszko National Park, based on 14 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Painted Buttonquail in Kosciuszko National Park?

January has the highest sighting rate for Painted Buttonquail in Kosciuszko National Park in our monthly data.

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