Black-breasted Buttonquail

About

A plump, ground-dwelling quail restricted to fragmented pockets of dry rainforest from Hervey Bay south to north-eastern New South Wales. Main Range National Park's fauna section lists it among the threatened species recorded in the park, where it depends on deep leaf-litter for foraging.

How to spot it

17-19cm, marbled black, rufous and pale brown plumage with prominent white spots and stripes and pale eyes. Females are larger and more boldly coloured than males, reversing the usual pattern. Look for distinctive circular 'platelets' of scratched-bare leaf litter on the forest floor, a reliable sign of feeding activity even when the bird itself stays hidden.

Found in

• Main Range National Park
• Nightcap National Park