Martin
Thank you. A few years ago I was involved in some research to look at
the distribution of quolls in Tasmania. It turned out the highest
correlation between any one environmental feature and quolls was
chookhouses! [The highest correlation between Tasmanian Tiger sightings
and environmental features was the road out from pubs at closing time...
but that is another story...] Both of the above might be rural myths...
However, one of the patterns that might be happening is that if PBQs are
seasonal visitors to ACT, they turn up uenxectedly in urban quarters at
more or less the same time each year. I hope to be able to query the
databases to see whether there is any support for this.
regards
Con
martin butterfield wrote:
Shortly after we moved to Carwoola (in January 2007) Frances found a
Painted Button-quail lurking under our chook-house. Each time we
disturbed it by gardening in the vicinity it scampered off into some
dense nearby Kunzea ericifolia. A few weeks later - with intermitten
sightingsin the meantime - the COG wednesday walkers came for a
visit. They lined up, the bird duly appeared, and has not been seen
since. Neither have any platelets despite quite a lot of time spent
searching.
Martin
On Tue, Oct 20, 2009 at 4:00 PM, con <
<>> wrote:
In the past month, Painted Button Quail have been reported from:
Black Mountain Nature Reserve (including a male and female at the
same time)
Mulligan's Flat Nature Reserve
Gungahlin Hill Nature Reserve
Mount Majura
Cooleman Hill
a private garden
They appear to be more common and better-distributed than the
Annual Reports would suggest. (Or, perhaps, this is a good
drought-breaking year for the ACT).
I have also received reports of sightings from other Nature
Reserves in previous years. We don't have answers to quite basic
questions about the Painted Button Quail. These questions include:
Are there seasonal movements? What is their preferred habitat in
the ACT? How common are they? It is not even clear whether they
are always, or just sometimes, polyandrous. (They are difficult to
study in the wild and I understand most info comes from aviary
observations - I haven't read the HANZAB entry on PBQs, so may be
wrong there).
The easiest way to check on the absence or presence of PBQs is the
existence of platelets. PBQs make these oval platelets, usually
about 8 cm wide and about 10cm long, by pivoting on one legs an
scratching vigorously with the other. The litter is cleared either
to the soil level or the top layer of litter is removed and a
moister layer of litter is exposed. The platelets are usually
separated by a couple of centimetres. It is quite common to come
across half a dozen or so in a row as the bird has moved along a
transect. However, in one favoured location, I have counted over
200 platelets. In areas of deep litter the platelets are often
shorter in diameter. Sometimes the scratchings are disorganised
and not in platelet shape.
We have also discovered that if you want a really good look at the
birds, 'dead slow' or 'stopped' is the right speed to be
travelling. Simply start where there is evidence of fresh digging
and move very slowly or simply move away a bit, sit down, and
wait. They are beautiful to see and well worth the patience. On
the other hand, running, or walking very briskly is likely to make
them flush or make them run off well ahead of where you are.
Any observations on the above views, or any additional sightings
of platelets or birds or behaviour would be welcome.
regards
Con
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