#cinclosomatidae

[herpsandbirds]

Blue Jewel-Babbler (Ptilorrhoa caerulescens), family Cinclosomatidae, order Passeriformes, New Guinea

photographs by Dustin Chen

[daily-bird-facts]

today's critter is the western quail-thrush, a ground-dwelling bird of Western Australia. while passeriforme birds are often colloquially referred to as "perching" birds, quail-thrushes' terrestrial habits much more resemble those of the galliformes, an order which does indeed include quails. in fact, though the quail-thrushes are not meaningfully related to either of their English namesakes, i imagine that, to a differently trained eye, they would initially resemble some sort of hybrid between quails and thrushes.

omnivores of shrubland and savannah, foraging on foot and rarely flying outside of life-threatening situations. their gait changes only in speed when they feel threatened, giving them an endearing and i'll concede very quaillike scurry. the highest they go of their own free will is to perch on broad branches, dirt mounds, or stones in order to project their singing. their sturdy legs are accompanied by a similarly sturdy bill, used to flip over stones in hopes of revealing tasty bugs.

in contrast to the much more well-camouflaged females, males bear high-contrast black stripes on their face, neck, chest, and flight feathers. this black plumage accentuates their eyelashes; long eyelashes are a common trait among desert-dwelling critters, as they keep sand out of the eyes. in cases such as the human and the male western quail-thrush, however, they also make them look fabulous.

24 June 2026

[alonglistofbirds]

[2450/11080] Cinnamon quail-thrush - Cinclosoma cinnamomeum

Order: Passeriformes Suborder: Passeri Family: Cinclosomatidae (quail-thrushes and jewel-babblers)

Photo credit: David Irving via Macaulay Library

[best-bird-tournament]

Cinclosomatidae family (genus Cinclosoma)

Which is the best bird?

Cinnamon quail-thrush

Spotted quail-thrush

Copperback quail-thrush

Chestnut quail-thrush

Chestnut-breasted quail-thrush

Voting ended onNov 11, 2025

This family contains just 5 eligible species from one genus.

[hello-birdies]

Cinclosoma marginatum by Sandra Wallace

[herpsandbirds]

Chestnut Quail-Thrush (Cinclosoma castanotum), family Cinclosomatidae, order Passeriformes, Southern Australia

photograph by Tropical Birding Tours

[daily-bird-facts]

this is the sturdily built spotted quail-thrush, a resident of southeastern Australia and Tasmania. despite its common English name, it is related to neither thrushes or quails. a largely terrestrial bird of stony ridges and hillsides, provided they have the necessary scattered trees and leaf litter for the birds to feel sufficiently secure. males bear striking black-and-white throats and faces, whereas females are orange and buff in these areas.

nests are built of grasses, bent and woven into a cup in and around a small depression in the ground. in general, they're rather secretive, their plumage well suited for their preferred environment. however, sometimes one plops themselves on a branch or high rock to look around or project their singing further, luckily for birdwatchers.

besides song performances, they spend most of their time on the ground searching for food; instead of scratching at the ground with their feet, as chickens or other familiar galliformes tend to do, they probe for insects in nooks and crannies using their beak. their gait is a slow and deliberate march, which i find rather charming. when alarmed, they'll squat lower on the ground in a bid to hide. if the source of danger is persistent, such as a wildlife photographer, they'll run for cover. only in especially pressing emergencies do they resort to flight.

28 May 2026

[herpsandbirds]

Chestnut-breasted Quail-Thrush (Cinclosoma castaneothorax), male, family Cinclosomatidae, Australia

photograph by Jan Wegener