Turnix everetti
The Sumba Buttonquail (Turnix everetti) is a small, secretive buttonquail endemic to the island of Sumba in Indonesia. Measuring approximately 15-18 cm (6-7 inches) in length, it exhibits the typical plump, short-necked, and short-tailed build characteristic of its genus. Males are cryptically colored with dark rufous-brown upperparts, barred with black, and whitish underparts, a blackish chest, and rufous flanks, with a dark, buff-streaked head. Females are notably more vibrant and boldly ma...
Found in open grassy areas, dry savanna, sparse woodlands, and shrubland, often utilizing fallow fields and areas near cultivation from sea level up to approximately 800 meters.
Primarily insectivorous, feeding on small invertebrates such as ants, termites, beetles, and their larvae, supplemented with various seeds and other plant matter, foraged by scratching the ground.
The Sumba Buttonquail is a largely terrestrial and highly secretive species, preferring to run through vegetation rather than take flight, making it difficult to observe. It forages during the day, constantly scratching and pecking at the ground and leaf litter to uncover food items. The species ...
The Sumba Buttonquail is strictly endemic to Sumba Island, one of the Lesser Sunda Islands in Indonesia, where it is a year-round resident. Its distribution is confined to suitable habitats across this single island, primarily in the lowland and mid-elevation regions, generally below 800 meters. ...
Vulnerable
- In a rare reversal of traditional bird roles, the female Sumba Buttonquail is the dominant partner, being larger, more brightly colored, and actively competing for males. - The male Sumba Buttonquail takes on all parental responsibilities, incubating the eggs and raising the young entirely on h...