These rare and localised button quails are found in grassland and wetland edge around St Lucia and in the Isimangaliso Wetlands Park.
They tend to stick to grass cover (unlike the common button quail which often comes to roads) and the only sight one usually gets of them is a whirr of feathers as they are flushed and fly before dipping down back into the grass. It is important in these few seconds to take note of their rump (dark in the black-rumped) and also look for the streaks on their back (absent in the Common)
They tend to stick to grass cover (unlike the common button quail which often comes to roads) and the only sight one usually gets of them is a whirr of feathers as they are flushed and fly before dipping down back into the grass. It is important in these few seconds to take note of their rump (dark in the black-rumped) and also look for the streaks on their back (absent in the Common)