Black-bellied sandgrouse

Did You Know?

• Flocks fly to watering holes at dawn.
• Its nest is a ground scrape into which three greenish eggs with cryptic markings are laid.
• Only the male brings water to the young.

Taxonomy

Carl Linnaeus formally described the black-bellied sandgrouse in 1758 in the tenth edition of his Systema Naturae, placing it in the genus Tetrao with the binomial Tetrao orientalis. It now belongs to the genus Pterocles, introduced in 1815 by Coenraad Jacob Temminck, which combines Ancient Greek pteron (wing) and -klēs (notable or splendid). Two subspecies are recognised: P. o. orientalis and P. o. arenarius.

Description

The black-bellied sandgrouse is 33 – 39 cm long and weighs 300 - 615 g, likely the largest sandgrouse species. The male has a grey head, neck, and breast, black underparts, golden-brown upperparts with darker markings, a thin black border around the lower breast, and a chestnut throat patch. It has a small, pigeon-like head and neck, a stocky compact body, long pointed wings, and a fast direct flight. The white underwings and black belly aid identification in flight. The female has browner, more finely marked upperparts, head, and breast, with identical underparts and breast band. The eastern race is paler and heavier; males have yellower upperparts and greyer underparts, females whiter below. The call is a soft chowrrr rrrr-rrrr.