Small Buttonquail
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| Turnix sylvatica Desfontaines, 1789 |
The Small Buttonquail, Turnix sylvatica also known as Andalusian Hemipode is a buttonquail, one of a small family of birds which resemble, but are unrelated to, the true quails. This species is resident from southern Spain and Africa through India and tropical Asia to Indonesia.
This tiny buttonquail is notoriously difficult to see. It is a small 15cm long drab running bird, which avoids flying. It is a species which inhabits warm grasslands or scrub jungle and feeds on insects and seeds.
Small Buttonquail resembles a Common Quail. It has streaked sandy brown upperparts, buff underparts with black flank markings and a plain face. In flight, a whitish wingbar contrasts with the grey wing. Sexes are similar, but immature birds are more spotted below.
The female initiates courtship and builds the ground nest. The male incubates the normally four speckled greyish eggs, and tends the young, which can run as soon as they are hatched.
The female calls with a deep hoom-hoom-hoom and the male replies kek-kek-kek.
Widespread throughout its large range, the Small Buttonquail is evaluated as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
[edit] References
- Birds of The Gambia by Barlow, Wacher and Disley, ISBN 1-873403-32-1
