Photo: John Gerrard Keulemans / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Red-chested Buttonquail
Turnix pyrrhothorax
Red-chested Buttonquail (Turnix pyrrhothorax) — 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 Red-chested Buttonquail (Turnix pyrrhothorax) is a member of the Turnicidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 45.7 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 pyrrhothorax
Quick facts
- Weight
- 45.7 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Turnicidae
- Order
- Charadriiformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Red-chested Buttonquail is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Red-chested Buttonquail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Red-chested Buttonquail (Turnix pyrrhothorax) is a member of the Turnicidae family, within the order Charadriiformes. It is found across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU Australia (except n, se, Tasmania).
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 45.7 g, with a wing length of about 7.3 cm and a tail of around 2.9 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 4.3 million km².
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Red-chested Buttonquail?
The Red-chested Buttonquail is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 45.7 g.
Where does the Red-chested Buttonquail live?
The Red-chested Buttonquail is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU Australia (except n, se, Tasmania), where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Red-chested Buttonquail belong to?
The Red-chested Buttonquail (Turnix pyrrhothorax) belongs to the Turnicidae family, in the order Charadriiformes.
What does the Red-chested Buttonquail eat?
The Red-chested Buttonquail is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Red-chested Buttonquail migrate?
The Red-chested Buttonquail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Red-chested 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.
How large is the Red-chested Buttonquail's range?
The Red-chested Buttonquail has a mapped global range of about 4.3 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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