- any of several birds of the family Turnicidae, of warmer parts of the Old World, resembling but not related to the true quail.Also called bustard quail, hemipode.
- the blue-breasted quail, Coturnix chinensis.
Origin of button quail
Examples from the Web for button quail
Historical Examples of button quail
You christened little Miss Demby the Button-quail, last cold weather; you know you did.The Day's Work, Volume 1
So there's another heading for a game book here; that might begin with elephant and finish up with mouse-deer and button-quail.From Edinburgh to India & Burmah
William G. Burn Murdoch
- any small quail-like terrestrial bird of the genus Turnix, such as T. sylvatica (striped button quail), occurring in tropical and subtropical regions of the Old World: family Turnicidae, order Gruiformes (cranes, rails, etc)Also called: hemipode