Fynbos Buttonquail

Turnix hottentottus

Includes: Black-rumped Buttonquail

Identification

Length 14-16 cm.
T. h. nanus has a ginger face and throat; more richly coloured than Small Buttonquail. The pale belly is unmarked and the dark back and rump contrast with paler wings in flight. The legs are a pale flesh colour.

The nominate race has yellow legs and black spots on the neck, breast and belly. The dark back is not as clearly defined as in T. h. nanus.

Similar Species

Larger than Small Buttonquail.

Distribution

Sub-Saharan Africa:
Western Africa: Senegambia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola
Eastern Africa: Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi
Southern Africa: Zimbabwe, South Africa, KwaZulu-Natal, Swaziland

Taxonomy

This taxon is sometimes split into two species:^{1, 2}

• Turnix nanus (or nana), Black-rumped Buttonquail from Ghana to Kenya, Uganda and south-eastern Cape Province
• Turnix hottentottus, Hottentot Buttonquail in the mountains of South Africa (south-western Cape Province to Port Elizabeth)

Habitat

Moist grassland and fynbos.

Behaviour

A skulking species, found singly, in pairs, or in loose groups. Difficult to flush, preferring to run through grass when disturbed. Creeps slowly through grass when undisturbed.

Breeding

Probably polyandrous and territorial. The nest is a thinly lined scrape in the ground, well concealed in grass 25-50 cm long. Two to four eggs are laid and incubated for 12-14 days by the male.

Diet

Eats invertebrates and seeds.

Vocalisation

Call: A booming ooooop-ooooop.

References

1. Sibley CG & Monroe BL. 1996. Birds of the World, on diskette, Windows version 2.0. Charles G. Sibley, Santa Rosa, CA, USA.
2. Hockey PAR, Dean WRJ & Ryan PG (eds) 2005. Robert's Birds of Southern Africa, 7th edition. John Voelcker Bird Book Fund, Cape Town, South Africa. ISBN 0620340533
3. Sinclair I & Ryan P. 2003. Birds of Africa south of the Sahara. Princeton University Press. ISBN 0620207299
4. Clements, JF. 2009. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2009. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
5. Avibase

• List of references

Recommended Citation

• BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Fynbos Buttonquail. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 15 January 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Fynbos_Buttonquail

External Links

Search for photos of Fynbos Buttonquail in the gallery