Photo: Dr. Raju Kasambe / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Yellow-legged Buttonquail
Turnix tanki
Yellow-legged Buttonquail (Turnix tanki) — Shorebirds, Gulls & Auks of South & Southeast Asia.
Found across 3 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Yellow-legged Buttonquail (Turnix tanki) is a member of the Turnicidae family found in South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 52.8 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 tanki
Quick facts
- Weight
- 52.8 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Turnicidae
- Order
- Charadriiformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Yellow-legged Buttonquail is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Yellow-legged Buttonquail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Yellow-legged Buttonquail (Turnix tanki) is a member of the Turnicidae family, within the order Charadriiformes. It occurs naturally across South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR widespread.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 52.8 g, with a wing length of about 7.8 cm and a tail of around 2.5 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 9.3 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Yellow-legged Buttonquail?
The Yellow-legged Buttonquail is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 52.8 g.
Where does the Yellow-legged Buttonquail live?
The Yellow-legged Buttonquail is found across South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR widespread, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Yellow-legged Buttonquail belong to?
The Yellow-legged Buttonquail (Turnix tanki) belongs to the Turnicidae family, in the order Charadriiformes.
What does the Yellow-legged Buttonquail eat?
The Yellow-legged Buttonquail is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Yellow-legged Buttonquail migrate?
The Yellow-legged Buttonquail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Yellow-legged 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 Yellow-legged Buttonquail make?
1 real field recording of the Yellow-legged Buttonquail — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Yellow-legged Buttonquail's range?
The Yellow-legged Buttonquail has a mapped global range of about 9.3 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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