They have a liquid alarm call and small groups will run in single file along paths before taking flight when flushed.

This quail is darkish brightly colored with a deep red bill and legs, eye-catching even in flight.

They come out in open grassy patches or on forest roads and cart tracks to feed on seeds or grain (and small insects[3]) and dust-bathe in the morning and evening.

Subspecies blewitti is found in the Satpuras and extends into the northern Eastern Ghats (East to Lammasinghi[8]).

Sykes described the nominate form based on specimens from the valley of "Karleh",[2] 35 miles northwest of Pune[10]), the Nilgiris and hills of southern India including the Biligirirangans and Shevaroys.

[11] A flagellate parasite Hypotrichomonas avium (Parabasalia: Hypotrichomonadida) was described from a specimen found in the intestine of a painted bush quail.