About Pedionomus torquatus Gould, 1840
Taxonomy
The plains-wanderer, with the scientific name Pedionomus torquatus Gould, 1840, is a quail-like ground bird that measures 15 to 19 cm. It is such an unusual bird that it is placed in its own monotypic family, Pedionomidae.
Male Adult Plumage
Adult males are light brown on their upperparts, with fawn-white underparts marked by black crescents.
Female Adult Traits
Adult females are substantially larger than males, and have a distinctive black collar spotted with white.
Anti-disturbance Behavior
Plains-wanderers have excellent camouflage, and will first hide when any disturbance occurs. If approached too closely, they will run rather than fly, as they are very poor fliers.
Reproduction
Females lay four eggs, which the male then incubates.
