Spotted Quail-thrush

1. Males have a black throat with a rounded white patch.

2. Both sexes show a long pale eyebrow from bill to nape.

3. Black spots on the flanks and a grey breast with a broken black band.

Spotted Quail-thrushes are sedentary and spend most of their time on the ground, foraging for insects and seeds. They build well-camouflaged cup-shaped nests on the ground, usually hidden near rocks or dense vegetation. Breeding typically occurs from August to December. Females lay two to three eggs and are solely responsible for incubation, while males may feed the incubating female. Chicks leave the nest before they can fly, often returning for several nights, and adults perform distraction displays to protect their young from predators.

Look for Spotted Quail-thrushes in dry open eucalypt forests, woodlands, and heathlands, especially on rocky hillsides and ridges with abundant leaf litter, rocks, and scattered shrubs. Their range covers eastern and southeastern Australia, including Tasmania and, historically, the Mount Lofty Ranges in South Australia. They are most active and detectable at dawn and dusk, often heard before seen due to their soft, repeated "fee-oo" whistle or high-pitched "tseeeep" call.