Luzon buttonquail | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Charadriiformes |
Family: | Turnicidae |
Genus: | Turnix |
Species: | T. worcesteri |
Binomial name | |
Turnix worcesteri McGregor, 1904 | |
The Luzon buttonquail (Turnix worcesteri) or Worcester's buttonquail, is a species of bird in the family Turnicidae. It is endemic to the island of Luzon in the Philippines. Its natural habitat is tropical high-altitude grassland. This is the most mysterious bird of Luzon as there has only been 1 sighting in 2009 of a trapped individual being sold for bushmeat.
EBird describes the bird as "A fairly small, rare, little-known ground bird from the highland grasslands of Luzon. Overall brown, heavily patterned with dark-centered feathers overlaid with pale buff streaking. Shows variable amounts of rufous on the underparts, more extensive in the female, and some white in the throat and belly. Occurs together with Barred and Spotted Buttonquails and Blue-breasted Quail, but Luzon is somewhat smaller than those, especially Spotted, and has a thick, silver bill." [2]
It is named after American manager and zoologist Dean Conant Worcester (1866-1924).
This species is monotypic but is sometimes considered conspecific with the Sumba buttonquail and the Common buttonquail it is distinguished from latter by plumage with a much blacker crown and dorsal feathers, much smaller size and, white chin and upper throat for females.
Barely anything is known about this bird. The stomach contents from a trapped bird contained insects. [3]
Its precise habitat is unknown but is believe to be wet grassy areas. Only moder record from a bushmeat market in Dalton Pass in 2009. The Luzon buttonquail was known only from drawings and descriptions until January 2009 when a local birdwatching group, the Wild Bird Club of the Philippines, took photos and recorded a video of a lone specimen at a public market in the Caraballo Mountains. [4] The bird from Nueva Vizcaya, northern Luzon, appeared in a news feature by documentary filmmaker Howie Severino, a member of the GMA Network. [5] [6]
IUCN has assessed this bird as Data deficient but was formerly listed as Vulnerable. Despite just having 1 record, it is believed that it may be especialy cryptic and unobtrusive leading it to be under-recorded. Extensive research and study is required. However, it is likely that this species is threatened due to continued hunting and habitat conversion. [7]
Buttonquail or hemipodes are members of a small family of birds, Turnicidae, which resemble, but are not closely related to, the quails of Phasianidae. They inhabit warm grasslands in Asia, Africa, Europe, and Australia. There are 18 species in two genera, with most species placed in the genus Turnix and a single species in the genus Ortyxelos.
The barred buttonquail or common bustard-quail is a buttonquail, one of a small family of birds which resemble, but are not closely related to, the true quails. This species is resident from India across tropical Asia to south China, Indonesia and the Philippines.
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The Luzon bleeding-heart, bleeding-heart dove, bleeding-heart pigeon or punay is a species of ground dove in the genus Gallicolumba, known as "bleeding-hearts" due to their distinctive red patch on its chest. It was also known as paloma de punalada 'stabbed pigeon' but is nowadays more commonly referred to as just punalada. The Luzon bleeding-heart is the species in which the "blood" feature is most pronounced, while the Mindanao bleeding-heart does have a larger red patch, the Luzon bleeding-heart has a reddish hue extending down the belly, furthering the illusion of a blood stain. It is threatened by habitat loss and hunting for the pet trade and for meat.
The painted buttonquail is a species of buttonquail, the family Turnicidae, which resemble, but are unrelated to, the quails of Phasianidae. This species is resident in Australia where numbers are believed to be in decline. A subspecies, the Abrolhos painted buttonquail, is endemic to the Houtman Abrolhos islands.
The little buttonquail is a species of buttonquail, part of a small family of birds which resemble, but are unrelated to, the true quails. This species is resident in Australia, where it is one of the more common buttonquails.
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The spotted wood kingfisher or spotted kingfisher is a species of bird in the family Alcedinidae. It is endemic to the Philippines found on the islands of Luzon, Catanduanes, Marinduque, Negros and Panay where its natural habitat is tropical moist lowland forests.
The chestnut-backed buttonquail is a species of bird in the family Turnicidae. It is endemic to Australia.
The red-backed buttonquail 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 Madagascar buttonquail is a species of bird in the buttonquail family, Turnicidae, that is endemic to Madagascar and a few small islands nearby. It is a ground-dwelling species with an unusual breeding biology in which the sexual dimorphism is reversed, with female being more brightly coloured than the male and it is the male that incubates the eggs and mainly cares for the young.
The spotted buttonquail is a species of bird in the family Turnicidae. It is endemic to Philippines on the island of Luzon.
The red-chested buttonquail is a species of bird in the family Turnicidae. It is endemic to Australia. The species is generally regarded as widespread, although uncommon, in New South Wales, Queensland, northern Western Australia and the Northern Territory, and classified as Vulnerable in Victoria.
The flaming sunbird is a species of bird in the family Nectariniidae. It is endemic to the northern Philippines found on the islands of Luzon and Catanduanes. Its natural habitat is tropical moist lowland forests. It was formerly conspecific with the Maroon-naped sunbird.
The pygmy flowerpecker is a species of bird in the family Dicaeidae. It is endemic to the Philippines.
The green-backed whistler or olive-backed whistler, is a species of bird in the family Pachycephalidae. It is endemic to the Philippines. Its natural habitats are tropical moist lowland forest and tropical moist montane forest.
The Philippine pitta or blue-breasted pitta, is a species of bird in the family Pittidae. It is a striking and colorful with a red belly, black throat, a brown head, a blue chest, rump and tail. It is found in Indonesia and the Philippines. Its natural habitat is tropical moist lowland forest. It is part of the Red-bellied pitta species complex.
The golden-crowned babbler is a species of bird in the family Zosteropidae. It is endemic to the Philippines found only in the moist tropical forest in Northern Luzon. It is threatened by habitat loss.
The Philippine trogon is a species of bird in the family Trogonidae. It is endemic to the Philippines found on regions of Luzon, East Visayas and Mindanao. It is the only species of trogon in the country. While not a threatened species, its population is declining due to habitat loss and hunting.
Mark Niel Maceda 2007