Uploaded February 2020 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago

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The Painted Button Quail is a widespread species that inhabits woodland and grasslands. They tend to like exposed, rocky ground, often with fallen sticks and leaf litter. Their feeding technique is fascinating as they search for grubs and insects by creating 'platelets'. These bare 'saucer' shapes are made by their feet as they rock 'back and forth', leaving clusters of bare patches. They are also sexually dimorphic, with the female's ( in Video) plumage being more colourful. The male, also takes on the bulk of parental duties.
The female is the larger and more coloured of these small, plump, well-camoflaged ground-dwellers. The overall colouration is grey, with large white spots on the breast which fade to off-white around the legs and vent. The face has small black-edged white spots with a white eye-brow. The wings and back of the female are mostly chestnut, with white spots and black, white-edged bars on the wing. The male is similar but the chestnut colur is replaced with buff.
I was pleased to film this individual as they can be quite retiring by nature. Tim Siggs. ABVC.