SPECIES: Turnix melanogaster — Black-breasted Button-quail
CLASSIFICATION: Vulnerable
The Black-breasted Button-quail has quite the struggle. For one, it is a ground-dwelling bird, it’s usual habitat the dry rainforest areas of south-east Qld and north-east NSW. It noisily forages on the ground in areas of thick leaf litter in search of food. If startled, it will simply freeze or run if it can, rather than fly. That’s not helpful. Secondly, unusually for a bird, the Black-breasted Button-quail lacks a hind toe and so is unable to perch in trees. That’s not helpful either.
In the past, forest habitat has been decimated for the species by being cleared for agriculture and forestry. The species is also quite susceptible to predators due to its ground dwelling behaviour. The Black-breasted Button-quail is not only classified on the EPBC as a vulnerable species, it is also listed on the worldwide IUCN as vulnerable.