Previously described species of buttonquail found in the Philippines have been determined to be races of Turnix sylvaticus. These races are T. whiteheadi (Luzon), T. celestinoi (Bohol), T. masaaki (Mindanao), T. suluensis (Sulu) (Delacour and Mayr, 1946), and T. nigrorum (Negros Island) (Johnsgard, 1991). From part of subsaharan Africa (not including the Congo basin to the horn of Africa), Turnix lepurana is considered to be a race of T. sylvaticus (Jackson, 1926) as are T. s. alleni and T. s. arenaria (Johnsgard, 1991). Other subspecies of Turnix sylvaticus are T. s. dussumier (Pakistan, Nepal, India, Myanmar, and possibly eastern Iran), T. s. davidi and T. s. mikado (Indochina, eastern China, and Taiwan), and T. s. bartelsorum (Java and Bali) (Johnsgard, 1991). The nominate T. s. sylvatica is found in the southern Iberian peninsula and northwestern coastal areas of Africa (Johnsgard, 1991).
During courtship, females utter a booming advertisement call. They adopt a posture and stand at a 45 degree angle with their beak tilted toward the ground. They inflate their esophagus, then utter a steady-pitched one (or two) note call. The call is not related to territorial defense. Males and females utter a trumpeting buzz or growl as a threat to others of the same sex.
Males and females perform front-to-back swaying movements during courtship. The male will adopt a submissive posture toward the female to get the female to preen his feathers. The female will also utter the tidbitting call while offering food to the male.
Communication Channels: visual ; tactile ; acoustic
Perception Channels: visual ; tactile ; acoustic ; chemical
It has been speculated that the subspecies of Turnix sylvaticus that inhabits Spain and Portugal may be extinct, or at least, is extremely rare (Spenkeling-Van Schaik, 1984) and is considered endangered (Johnsgard, 1991). However, world-wide, small buttonquail occur throughout a wide range and do not appear to be in danger.
CITES: no special status
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: least concern
There are no known adverse affects of small buttonquail on humans.
Small buttonquail have been bred in captivity and are often found in aviaries.
Positive Impacts: pet trade ; food
Small buttonquail have an impact on the prey they eat and the plants whose seeds they consume.
Grass seeds and insects and their larvae are the main foods eaten by small buttonquail (Jackson, 1926; Spenkelink-Van Schaik, 1984). They are especially fond of ants (Johnsgard, 1991).
Animal Foods: insects
Plant Foods: seeds, grains, and nuts
Primary Diet: omnivore
Small buttonquail range from the Philippines and southwestern Pacific islands (Johnsgard, 1991) westward to Africa (Jackson, 1926) and to Spain (Delacour and Mayr, 1946) and Portugal (Spenkelink-Van Schaik, 1984).
Biogeographic Regions: palearctic (Native ); oriental (Native ); ethiopian (Native )
Small buttonquail are found on dry sandy soil, in open bush, low scrub, in short grass, and fallow cultivated lands (Jackson, 1926). They are found where there is ground cover in which to hide. Suitable ground cover includes dwarf palmetto vegetation, cotton, millet or cassave crops, savanna bush, or stubble fields. Bamboo jungle is favored and dense evergreen forests, deserts and wetlands are avoided. Small buttonquail may be found at elevations of 2000 to 2400 m (Johnsgard, 1991).
Range elevation: 2000-2400 (high) m.
Habitat Regions: temperate ; tropical ; terrestrial
Terrestrial Biomes: savanna or grassland ; scrub forest
Other Habitat Features: agricultural
We do not have information on lifespan/longevity for this species at this time.
One of the smaller button quails, Turnix sylvaticus is approximately 11.4 cm long (Delacour and Mayr, 1946), but may approach 14 to 17 cm (Jackson, 1926). Females may have a wing length of 81 to 101 mm (Johnsgard, 1991; Jackson, 1926). The smaller males have an average wing length of 88 mm. Tail length for males averages 39.4 mm, while for females it is 42.6 mm. Tarsal length averages 23.4 mm for males, and 24 mm for females. Wing and tarsal length vary with subspecies. For those other than the nominate, wing length for males and females ranges from 62 to 72 and 68 to 79.5 mm, respectively. Tarsal length ranges from 17.5 to 20.5 mm for males and 19 to 22.3 mm for females. Bill length ranges from approximately 10 to 13.5 mm for subspecies of Turnix sylvaticus (Johnsgard, 1991).
There is a wide range of weights among subspecies of Turnix sylvaticus. Males of the nominate may weigh around 60 g, while T. s. lepurana may weigh around 36 g. Female T. s. sylvatica and T. s. lepurana may weigh on average 70 and 51 g, respectively. Male and female T. s. dussumier may weigh approximately 36 to 43 g (Johnsgard, 1991).
The larger females are generally a finely mottled combination of black, gray, and rufous chestnut above. They have a buff line along the middle of the crown and ocher or golden-buff stripes along both sides of the back. The face and sides of the head are lightly mottled with black on a whitish background. The upper throat and abdomen are white, while the lower throat and breast are rufous chesnut. The sides of the breast have a few black spots and the edges of the wing coverts are a buff-ocher color. Males have the same coloration except they are paler and duller (Delacour and Mayr, 1946). The feet and toes are flesh color (Johnsgard, 1991).
The non-breeding females have fewer black markings, a dull light red nape and deeper rufous coloration on the breast. Non-breeding males resemble non-breeding females except the rufous coloration is duller. Juveniles are similar to adults, but have more spotting on the chest and the white spotting on the upper body and the wings is not as prominant (Johnsgard, 1991).
Range mass: 36 to 71 g.
Range length: 14-17 (high) mm.
Average length: 11.7 mm.
Sexual Dimorphism: female larger; sexes colored or patterned differently; female more colorful
Other Physical Features: endothermic ; bilateral symmetry
We do not have information on predation for this species at this time.
During courtship, females utter a booming advertisement call. They adopt a posture and stand at a 45 degree angle with their beak tilted toward the ground. They inflate their esophagus, then utter a steady-pitched one (or two) note call.
Males and females perform front-to-back swaying movements during courtship. The male will adopt a submissive posture toward the female to get the female to preen his feathers. The female will also utter the tidbitting call while offering food to the male.
All buttonquail are polyandrous.
Mating System: polyandrous
The breeding season varies from region to region. In India, breeding occurs during the rainy season. In Spain, breeding occurs during the spring and summer. In Africa north of the equator, breeding occurs from April to September. In eastern Africa, breeding occurs during two breeding cycles, one from January to June, and one from September and December (Johnsgard, 1991).
Females usually select the nest site and build the nest, although the male may participate in nest-building (Johnsgard, 1991). The nest is a shallow scratch in the ground, lined with a few pieces of grass, and sheltered by a tuft of grass or weeds (Jackson, 1926). Nests are built in vegetation in sheltered areas (Spenkelink-Van Schaik 1984).
Usually four and sometimes five eggs are laid per clutch (Jackson, 1926; Johnsgard, 1991). The pyriform-shaped eggs are grayish-white with a pinkish tinge and are densely spotted and speckled with pale purple, yellowish-brown, and reddish-brown flecks. The spotting is thicker at the larger end of the egg. The eggs are 22 to 26 mm by 17 to 21 mm (Jackson, 1926; Johnsgard, 1991) and each may weigh 6 g (Johnsgard, 1991).
Incubation lasts 12 to 14 days (Johnsgard, 1991). The male cares for the hatchlings (Spenkelink-Van Schaik, 1984). During the first two to four days after hatching, the male will tidbit to the chicks to offer them food. The chicks will feed themselves when they are five days old. When frightened, the chicks lie still close to the ground and close their eyes. After 7 to 11 days, the chicks are capable of flying, and at 18 to 20 days old they are independent (Johnsgard, 1991).
Breeding season: The breeding season varies from region to region.
Range eggs per season: 4 to 5.
Range time to hatching: 12 to 14 days.
Range time to independence: 18 to 20 days.
Key Reproductive Features: iteroparous ; seasonal breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; oviparous
For the first few days, only the female will incubate the eggs, after this time males take over the incubation duties. Incubation lasts 12 to 14 days (Johnsgard, 1991). The male cares for the hatchlings (Spenkelink-Van Schaik, 1984). During the first two to four days after hatching, the male will tidbit to the chicks to offer them food. The chicks will feed themselves when they are five days old. When frightened, the chicks lie still close to the ground and close their eyes. After 7 to 11 days, the chicks are capable of flying, and at 18 to 20 days old they are independent (Johnsgard, 1991).
Parental Investment: no parental involvement; pre-hatching/birth (Protecting: Male, Female); pre-weaning/fledging (Provisioning: Male); pre-independence (Provisioning: Male)
The common buttonquail (Turnix sylvaticus), also called Kurrichane buttonquail, small buttonquail, or Andalusian hemipode is a buttonquail, one of a small family of birds which resemble but are unrelated to the true quails.
The common buttonquail resembles the common quail. It has streaked sandy brown upperparts, buff underparts with black flank markings, and a plain face. In flight, a whitish wingbar contrasts with the grey wing. Sexes are similar, but immature birds are more spotted below. This tiny buttonquail is notoriously difficult to see. It is a small, 15 cm (5.9 in) long drab running bird, which avoids flying.
This species is resident from southern Spain and Africa through India and tropical Asia to Indonesia. It inhabits warm grasslands or scrub jungle and feeds on insects and seeds. This species avoids thick forest and hilly country, and lives by preference in cornfields and stretches of grassy plain though it may also be found in any type of low herbage and open scrub jungle.
It skulks and is flushed with difficulty, rising often close by one's feet. When flushed it flies low over the ground and soon settles again, after which it is very difficult to put up a second time. The female calls with a deep hoom-hoom-hoom and the male replies kek-kek-kek.
The female initiates courtship and builds the ground nest. The male incubates the normally four speckled greyish eggs, and tends the young, which can run as soon as they are hatched. The nesting season is June to September. The nest is a slight pad of grass placed in a natural hollow in the ground where it is usually tucked away amongst the stems of a tuft of grass. Very occasionally the grass is bent over it in a sort of canopy.[3]
Widespread throughout its large range, the small buttonquail is evaluated as least concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.[1] However, the nominate subspecies which is distributed in the Mediterranean region is critically endangered. It disappeared from most of its range during the 20th century and is currently only present in Morocco after Spain officially declared the extinction of the species in 2018.[4][5][6] In 2021, the IUCN also declared the buttonquail extinct in Europe.[1] This makes it the first bird species to become extinct in Europe since the Great Auk in 1852.
The common buttonquail (Turnix sylvaticus), also called Kurrichane buttonquail, small buttonquail, or Andalusian hemipode is a buttonquail, one of a small family of birds which resemble but are unrelated to the true quails.
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