By Janice Pappas
Geographic Range
These birds are found from India to Manchuria, Taiwan, and Hainan. They are also found in Myanmar (Finn, 1911; Rutgers and Norris, 1970) and the Nicobar and Andaman Islands (Johnsgard, 1991). (Finn, 1911; Johnsgard, 1991; Rutgers and Norris, 1970)
Habitat
Yellow-legged buttonquail prefer open sandy ground with patches of short, rough grass. (Johnsgard, 1991)
These animals are found in the following types of habitat:
tropical 
; terrestrial .
Terrestrial Biomes:
savanna or grassland .
Physical Description
(1.23 to 3.98 oz; avg. 2.6 oz)
Females are larger than males, with a wing length of 79 to 93 mm. They are grayish-brown above. The collar is rufous, and the forehead and sides of the head are buff, tipped with black. The chin and mid-throat areas are whitish-buff, and the sides of the throat, chest, and breast are a rufous-buff. The crown is black and edged in buff, sometimes with a buff stripe down the middle of the head. The back, rump, upper tail coverts and feathers capping the wings are irregularly barred with fine dark brown to black markings and flecks of rufous. Primary coverts are blackish-brown, narrowly edged in buff. The rest of the coverts are buff with a subterminal black spot. The flanks and belly are whitish; most of the feathers on the sides of the chest and breast have a small subterminal round black spot. The iris may be straw-yellow to whitish. The beak is a reddish brown on top and chrome-yellow on the bottom. The legs and feet are chrome-yellow in color, and give this bird its common name.
The male, with a wing length of 71 to 84 mm, does not have the rufous collar, but has more of the black spotting on his upper parts than the female. The iris is whitish, the beak is a brownish color, and the legs and feet are a yellowish color.
At seven weeks of age, the chicks have adult plumage. In addition, the iris changes from a blackish color to a whitish color.
Adults weigh from 35 to 113 g. (Johnsgard, 1991)
Some key physical features:
endothermic ; bilateral symmetry .
Sexual dimorphism: female larger, sexes colored or patterned differently.
Reproduction
Breeding begins in March.
During the breeding season, the female utters a low-pitched booming whistle. The call has been described as a "guuk-guuk, guuk," which is repeated and can be heard at a distance of 100 m. After the first two notes are uttered, there is a pause, then louder notes or hoots are produced. After about the fifth repetition, the call becomes a moan that increases in intensity. While the female calls she bows her head and slightly droops her wings.
During courtship, the female will lower her breast to touch the ground with her tail pointing upward. She may make soft clucking sounds, while holding an insect in her beak for the male, in a tidbitting fashion.
All buttonquail are polyandrous. (Johnsgard, 1991)
Mating systems:
polyandrous .
Breeding begins in March. The nest may be domed and is made of hay or grasses in a shallow hollow in the ground. There are three eggs per clutch; the eggs hatch in only 12 days. The eggs are 23 mm by 18 mm and weigh 3 to 9 g. At ten days old, the chicks are able to fly. (Johnsgard, 1991)
Key reproductive features:
iteroparous ; seasonal breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; oviparous .
The males are responsible for feeding the chicks. (Johnsgard, 1991)
Parental investment:
no parental involvement; pre-hatching/birth (protecting); pre-weaning/fledging (provisioning: male).
Lifespan/Longevity
We do not have information on lifespan/longevity for this species at this time.
Behavior
These buttonquail are rarely found in groups. (Johnsgard, 1991)
Home Range
We do not have information on home range for this species at this time.
Communication and Perception
During the breeding season, the female utters a low-pitched booming whistle. The call has been described as a "guuk-guuk, guuk," which is repeated and can be heard at a distance of 100 m. After the first two notes are uttered, there is a pause, then louder notes or hoots are produced. After about the fifth repetition, the call becomes a moan that increases in intensity. While calling, the female bows her head and slightly droops her wings.
During courtship, the female will lower her breast to touch the ground with her tail pointing upward. She may make soft clucking sounds, while holding an insect in her beak for the male, in a tidbitting fashion. The male utters a similar tidbitting call when he has food for the chicks. (Johnsgard, 1991)
Food Habits
Yellow-legged buttonquail feed on grain, grass seeds, green shoots from crops, ants, beetles, grasshoppers, and other insects. (Johnsgard, 1991)
Primary Diet:
omnivore .
Animal Foods:
insects.
Plant Foods:
leaves; seeds, grains, and nuts.
Predation
We do not have informaton on predation for this species at this time.
Ecosystem Roles
Yellow-legged buttonquail have an impact on the populations of prey they consume and the plants they eat.
Economic Importance for Humans: Negative
Although yellow-legged buttonquail eat green shoots from crops, they have not been reported to be harmful to those crops.
Economic Importance for Humans: Positive
Yellow-legged buttonquail may eat insects that are harmful to humans and/or crops.
Ways that people benefit from these animals:
controls pest population.
Conservation Status
Turnix tanki are not listed by either CITES or the IUCN.
Other Comments
Yellow-legged buttonquail were first bred in captivity in 1903 by Seth-Smith. (Hopkinson, 1926)
For More Information
Find Turnix tanki information at
Contributors
Janice Pappas (author), University of Michigan.
Alaine Camfield (editor), Animal Diversity Web.
