Cinnamon Quail-thrush

1. Males: White centre of chest with thin black breast band and pale brown sides

2. Both sexes: Pale eyebrow and black and white wing markings

3. Speckled undertail pattern and preference for stony open country

Cinnamon Quail-thrushes are exclusively ground foragers, feeding on a wide range of invertebrates including grasshoppers, bugs, beetles, flies, and ants; as well as seeds from native and introduced plants. They are weak fliers, preferring to squat or run when disturbed. Breeding usually occurs from July to September, but is also influenced by rainfall. Nests are cup-shaped, built in ground depressions lined with bark, grass, or sticks, and usually hidden among rocks, under bushes, or in grass tufts. Clutch size is typically two or three eggs, and both parents share incubation and care duties.

The Cinnamon Quail-thrush is found across southwest Queensland, northwest New South Wales, northeastern South Australia, and the southeast of the Northern Territory. It prefers dry, stony areas, especially around dry creek lines, but can also be found in grass and shrublands. Look for them walking or running on the ground, often in pairs or small groups, in open habitats with scattered low vegetation.