Barred Buttonquail
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The Barred Buttonquail (Turnix suscitator) is a buttonquail, one of a small family of birds which resemble, but are unrelated to, the true quails. This species is resident from India across tropical Asia to south China, Indonesia and the Philippines.
Some buttonquail are notoriously difficult to see, but this species is quite easy, since it tends to cross, or run along, savannah tracks, and is readily viewed from a vehicle.
It is a small drab running bird, which avoids flying. It is a species which inhabits warm grasslands and feeds on insects and seeds.
Barred Buttonquail has a grey bill and legs, and is heavily barred black on the upperparts and breast. The underparts and flanks are chestnut.The female has a blackish throat and central breast.
The female is the brighter of the sexes, 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 calls are a motorcycle-like drr-r-r-r-r-r and a loud hoon- hoon-hoon.
Reference
- Birds of India by Grimmett, Inskipp and Inskipp, ISBN 0-691-04910-6