The spotted buttonquail (Turnix ocellatus) is a species of bird in the family Turnicidae. It is endemic to Philippines on the island of Luzon.
| Spotted buttonquail | |
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Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Charadriiformes |
| Family: | Turnicidae |
| Genus: | Turnix |
| Species: | T. ocellatus
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| Binomial name | |
| Turnix ocellatus (Scopoli, 1786)
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Description
editEBird describes the bird as "A medium-sized ground bird of mixed habitat from the lowlands to the mountains of Luzon. Brown on the back with a strong checkered pattern, black spots on the wing, a rufous chest, and a speckled head. The throat is black in the female and white in the male. Similar to Small and Luzon Buttonquails but larger, with yellow legs and bill. Voice is a soft, low hooting typical of buttonquails."[2]
They exhibit sexual dimorphism in which males whiter heads with females having darker heads.[3]
Ecology and behavior
editNot much is known about its diet and breeding habits. It is pressumed to feed on grass, seeds, young plant shoots and invertebrates. It has been recorded breeding in February to August. Females are polyandrous and mate with multiple males. Nest is a hole on the ground lined with leaves and sticks. Lays 2 to 4 white eggs with gray or purple speckles.[4]
Habitat and conservation status
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Its habitat is poorly known, but it is found in many habitat types such as brushy grassland, dry forest with bamboo, rice fields and gardens up to 2,200 meters (7,200 ft) above sea level.
IUCN has assessed this species as Least-concern but the population may still be effected by urbanization and hunting.[5]
References
edit- ^ BirdLife International (2016). "Turnix ocellatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22680542A92865445. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22680542A92865445.en. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
- ^ "Spotted Buttonquail - eBird". ebird.org. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
- ^ Debus, Stephen; Kirwan, Guy M. (2020). "Spotted Buttonquail (Turnix ocellatus), version 1.0". Birds of the World. doi:10.2173/bow.spobut2.01. ISSN 2771-3105.
- ^ Debus, Stephen; Kirwan, Guy M. (2020). "Spotted Buttonquail (Turnix ocellatus), version 1.0". Birds of the World. doi:10.2173/bow.spobut2.01species_shared.bow.project_name. ISSN 2771-3105.
- ^ IUCN (1 October 2016). Turnix ocellatus: BirdLife International: The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T22680542A92865445 (Report). International Union for Conservation of Nature. doi:10.2305/iucn.uk.2016-3.rlts.t22680542a92865445.en.