The painted quail-thrush is a species of bird in the family Cinclosomatidae. It is found in New Guinea. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest.
Region
New Guinea
Typical Environment
Occurs in the tropical moist lowland and foothill forests across much of New Guinea, on both the northern and southern sides of the central cordillera. It inhabits dense understory and thick leaf-littered floors, often near fallen logs, vine tangles, and forest edges. The species avoids open areas and plantations, favoring intact primary and well-developed secondary forest. It is typically encountered singly or in pairs, moving quietly along the forest floor.
Altitude Range
0–1200 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The painted quail-thrush is a shy, ground-dwelling forest bird of New Guinea, known for its bold facial pattern and richly colored flanks. It prefers to run through leaf litter rather than fly, freezing when disturbed. Males and females differ in plumage, with males showing stronger contrast and a bluish-grey breast band. Its presence is often detected by its clear, whistled calls at dawn.
Temperament
solitary and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats, low to the ground
Social Behavior
Usually encountered alone or in pairs, maintaining territories on the forest floor. It is monogamous, with nests placed on or close to the ground concealed by vegetation or debris. Breeding is timed to local rainfall patterns, and both adults remain secretive near the nest.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Gives clear, whistled phrases that carry through dense forest, often delivered from low perches at dawn and dusk. Calls include soft ticking notes when alarmed and mellow piping sequences during territorial advertisement.
Plumage
Upperparts mottled brown with fine barring and spotting; underparts show a contrasting pale throat and breast with a bluish-grey band and warm rufous flanks. The face has a bold black mask and whitish supercilium. Females are duller and more brownish with less sharply defined bands.
Diet
Feeds primarily on ground-dwelling invertebrates such as beetles, ants, spiders, and other insects found in leaf litter. It occasionally takes small snails or other soft-bodied prey. Foraging involves deliberate walking, pausing to probe and flick aside leaves with the bill.
Preferred Environment
Forages on the shaded forest floor in primary and mature secondary rainforest. Often near logs, buttress roots, and dense understory where leaf litter accumulates, and along quiet forest tracks or stream margins.
