Photo: JJ Harrison (https://www.jjharrison.com.au/) / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Painted Buttonquail
Turnix varius
Painted Buttonquail (Turnix varius) — Shorebirds, Gulls & Auks of Australia & Oceania.
Found across 8 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Painted Buttonquail (Turnix varius) is a member of the Turnicidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 90.2 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Charadriiformes
- Family Turnicidae Buttonquail
- Genus Turnix
- Species varius
Quick facts
- Weight
- 90.2 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Turnicidae
- Order
- Charadriiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Critically Endangered
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Painted Buttonquail is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open scrub and shrubland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Painted Buttonquail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Painted Buttonquail (Turnix varius) is a member of the Turnicidae family, within the order Charadriiformes. Its range spans Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU sw, se, e Australia and Tasmania.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 90.2 g, with a wing length of about 9.9 cm and a tail of around 4.7 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 2.3 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Painted Buttonquail?
The Painted Buttonquail is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 90.2 g.
Where does the Painted Buttonquail live?
The Painted Buttonquail is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU sw, se, e Australia and Tasmania, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Painted Buttonquail belong to?
The Painted Buttonquail (Turnix varius) belongs to the Turnicidae family, in the order Charadriiformes.
What does the Painted Buttonquail eat?
The Painted Buttonquail is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Painted Buttonquail migrate?
The Painted Buttonquail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Painted Buttonquail endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Painted Buttonquail make?
1 real field recording of the Painted Buttonquail — including its alarm call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Painted Buttonquail's range?
The Painted Buttonquail has a mapped global range of about 2.3 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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