Buttonquail or hemipodes are members of a small family of birds, Turnicidae, of the order Charadriiformes collectively referred to as shorebirds.
Species of the Turnicidae resemble, but are not closely related to, the quails of Phasianidae.

The species of this family inhabit warm grasslands in Asia, Africa, Europe, and Australia.

Turnicidae is from Turnix abbreviation from genus Coturnix, quail(Coturnix is the Latin for the common quail); coined to reflect the quail-like appearance and lack of hind-toe.
hemipodes: Greek hemi half, semi; podes from Greek pous, podos foot (Latin pes).