I don’t know Mulligans Flat all that well but I would have thought it is, or is close to
open grassland etc. Brown Quail like wet areas and PB-q like mixed woodland. I reckon we can never know what was seen on that occasion. Someone may go check and see the
same or another species. One of my very best birding experiences many years ago was being in a field flushing large numbers of Red-chested & Little Button Quails plus Stubble Quails (with the aid of several people and dubious aid of a couple of dogs). .
From: Mark Clayton [
Sent: Monday, 5 December, 2016 8:54 PM
To: 'Philip Veerman'; 'Julie Clark'; 'COG Chatline'
Subject: RE: [canberrabirds] Id??
I have banded many Stubble Quail over the years and all have been in open grassland, cereal crops or stubble. I think the bird is a bit small to be a Little
button-quail as suggested by Kathy and John but they do occur both in open areas such as I describe above, and in open woodland. Julie, what was the habitat like as Painted Button-quail like dry woodland with a scrubby and grassy understory? Brown Quail are
often in the grassy edges of woodland areas. Habitat is one of the better indicators for all the species. Pb-q used to be very common on the lower slopes of Black Mountain; I am not sure of their status now as it is years since I last wandered around that
area.
Mark
From: Philip Veerman [
Sent: Monday, 5 December 2016 8:36 PM
To: 'Julie Clark'; 'COG Chatline'
Subject: RE: [canberrabirds] Id??
Hi Julie,
How about a Stubble Quail? I would have thought statistically somewhat more likely at a place like that.
From: Mark Clayton
Sent: Monday, 5 December, 2016 8:02 PM
To: 'Julie Clark'; 'COG Chatline'
Subject: RE: [canberrabirds] Id??
Hi Julie,
How about a Painted Button-quail? As you say it could also have been a Brown Quail but I think PB-q is more likely.
Cheers,
Mark
From: Julie Clark
Sent: Monday, 5 December 2016 7:24 PM
To: COG Chatline
Subject: [canberrabirds] Id??
I'm not sure that I have enough information for anyone to be able to assist, but here goes anyway ...
At Mulligan's today I had a very brief view of a bird. I was watching something else and as I started to move a bird flew from the ground, no more than a few metres from my feet,
hidden by the mid- height grass. It flew very low above the ground and landed on the ground again 50-75 m away, but was lost to my line of sight. All I observed was that the bird was about the size of a starling, appeared dark in colour from the rear, short
tail, rapid wing movement and it look stocky in build. It didn't call as it flew.
I don't have much idea of what it was. I thought of brown quail, but have never seen one in flight, so don't know if that's a possibility. No photos ...
Any suggestions? I was in the middle of the reserve - not very close to any of the dams.
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