Black-rumped buttonquail facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Black-rumped buttonquail |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Turnix
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| Species: |
nanus
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The black-rumped buttonquail (Turnix nanus) is a small type of bird that belongs to the buttonquail family. These birds are known for being quite shy.
What Does the Black-Rumped Buttonquail Look Like?
This little bird has a brown back and a reddish-brown chest. Its belly is a pale color, and it has brown eyes. A special feature is its black rump, which is the area above its tail.
Interestingly, for buttonquails, the female bird is usually bigger and has brighter colors than the male. This is different from most other bird species where the male is often more colorful. These birds are also quite shy and can be hard to spot or make fly away.
Where Does the Black-Rumped Buttonquail Live?
You can find the black-rumped buttonquail in many parts of Africa. They prefer open grasslands and avoid very dense forests or extremely dry desert areas.
In the central parts of Africa, these birds live there all year round. However, further north, like near Lake Chad and the Central African Republic, they are migratory. This means they travel to these areas to breed and then move away when the breeding season is over.
Understanding the Black-Rumped Buttonquail's Family Tree
The black-rumped buttonquail, with its scientific name Turnix nanus, is part of a bird family called Turnicidae. This family includes all the different kinds of buttonquails.
This family is also part of a larger group of birds called Charadriiformes. This big group includes many other birds you might know, like shorebirds, gulls, and auks. There are about 16 different species of buttonquails found across Asia, Africa, and Australia.
The first person to describe the black-rumped buttonquail was a British scientist named Thomas Horsfield in 1821. At first, it was given a different name, but later it was placed in the Turnix group, which is its proper genus today. The black-rumped buttonquail is one of the smallest buttonquail species. It's only about 15 centimeters (6 inches) long and weighs around 30 grams (1 ounce), which is about the same as a slice of bread!
Scientists continue to study these birds to understand their family relationships better.
