Turnix maculosus
Silhouette: PhyloPic
In 3 days <5%
The red-backed buttonquail (Turnix maculosus) is a species of bird in the family Turnicidae. It is found in Australia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines and the Solomon Islands. Other names by which it is known in different parts of its range include black-backed, black-spotted and orange-breasted buttonquail. There are fourteen recognised subspecies.
The red-backed buttonquail is a small stocky bird with round-tipped wings and a short tail. The length varies between 12 and 16 cm (4.7 and 6.3 in). The female is larger than the male and weighs between 32 and 51 g (1.1 and 1.8 oz) to the male's 23 to 39 g (0.8 to 1.4 oz). The subspecies T. m. melanotus, found in northern Australia, has a pale yellow beak, yellowish irises and yellowish legs and feet. The front and top of the head are blackish scalloped with grey, and the side of the head, the neck and throat are brownish-buff, with a reddish-brown partial collar. The upper parts are slate grey, narrowly barred with reddish-brown and black. The under-wing plumage is pale grey. The lower throat is whitish, darkening to buff on the breast and belly, the sides being boldly marked with spots and scallops. The sexes... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kakadu National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | Royal National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Red-backed Buttonquail sighting in Royal National Park on a given day, based on 6 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 168th most-seen of the 178 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to under 5%, if each day is a fresh chance.
Any time of year
In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Red-backed Buttonquail in Royal National Park on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.
Between 8 and 11 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Red-backed Buttonquail sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is seen both by day and at night.
Among the best
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Red-backed Buttonquail sightings, Royal National Park ranks 2nd at under 5%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Kakadu National Park (Australia, under 5%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Red-backed Buttonquail is recorded against all the birds logged in Royal National Park (6 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
