The Luzon buttonquail (''Turnix worcesteri'') or Worcester's buttonquail, is a species of
bird
Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweig ...
in the family
Turnicidae
Buttonquail or hemipodes are members of a small family of birds, Turnicidae, which resemble, but are unrelated to, the quails of Phasianidae. They inhabit warm grasslands in Asia, Africa, Europe, and Australia. There are 18 species in two genera ...
. It is
endemic
Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found else ...
to the island of
Luzon
Luzon (; ) is the largest and most populous island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the Philippines archipelago, it is the economic and political center of the nation, being home to the country's capital city, Manila, as ...
in the
Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
. Its natural
habitat
In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...
is subtropical or tropical high-altitude
grassland
A grassland is an area where the vegetation is dominated by grasses ( Poaceae). However, sedge ( Cyperaceae) and rush ( Juncaceae) can also be found along with variable proportions of legumes, like clover, and other herbs. Grasslands occur na ...
. It is locally known as "Pugo". It is a
cryptic species and not easy to observe and is listed as "
Data Deficient" by the
IUCN.
It is named after American manager and zoologist
Dean Conant Worcester
Dean Conant Worcester, D.Sc., FRGS (October 1, 1866 – May 2, 1924) was an American zoologist, public official, and authority on the Philippines. He was born at Thetford, Vermont, and educated at the University of Michigan (A.B., 1889). He first ...
(1866-1924).
Description
These birds are characterized by their black heads with white spots, a brown or fawn colored body and yellow legs on males. Females are brown with white and black spots.
Distribution and habitat
the Luzon buttonquail is known only from the island of Luzon in the Philippines. It is a very elusive bird and is only known from a few individuals that have been taken by hunters. Its main habitat is thought to be grassland in the highlands but it is unclear whether it also inhabits forests.
[ It has been observed to visit rice paddies and scrub lands near farm areas because of the availability of seeds and insects that they feed on regularly. It is very secretive, choosing to make small path ways through the rice fields. They are hunted by children and young men using spring traps along their usual path ways.
]
Sighting
The Luzon buttonquail was known only from drawings and descriptions until January 2009 when a local birdwatching
Birdwatching, or birding, is the observing of birds, either as a recreational activity or as a form of citizen science. A birdwatcher may observe by using their naked eye, by using a visual enhancement device like binoculars or a telescope, by ...
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.
/ref>
Status
Although this bird seems very scarce it remains so well hidden in its natural habitat that it may be more numerous than is thought. The IUCN has rated it as " Data Deficient".
References
Bibliography
Mark Niel Maceda 2007
{{Taxonbar, from=Q1265278
Luzon buttonquail
Birds of Luzon
Luzon buttonquail
Taxonomy articles created by Polbot
Taxa named by Richard Crittenden McGregor