About Turnix sylvaticus (Desfontaines, 1789)
Common Name and Scientific Naming
The common buttonquail, scientifically named Turnix sylvaticus (Desfontaines, 1789), resembles the common quail.
Plumage Coloration (Non-Flight)
Its upperparts are streaked sandy brown, its underparts are buff with black markings on the flanks, and its face is plain.
Flight Plumage Feature
When in flight, a whitish wingbar stands out against its grey wings.
Age and Sex Plumage Differences
Adult males and females look similar, while immature birds have more spotting on their underparts.
Size and Locomotion Behavior
This is a tiny, notoriously difficult-to-spot buttonquail: it is a small, 15 cm (5.9 in) long drab bird that prefers running over flying and actively avoids flying.
Species Distribution Range
This species is a resident breeding bird found across a range from southern Spain and Africa, through India and tropical Asia, to Indonesia.
Habitat and Diet
It lives in warm grasslands or scrub jungle, where it feeds on insects and seeds.
Preferred Habitat Types
It avoids thick forest and hilly terrain, and prefers to live in cornfields and open grassy plains.
Additional Habitat Occurrences
It may also be found in any type of low herbage and open scrub jungle.
