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Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse
(Pterocles exustus)
Size: ca. 32 cm; wing span ca. 50 cm
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Similar
species |
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Physical description |
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 Click here for a physical description
Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse are roughly bantam chicken-sized, mostly
ground-dwelling birds.
Their highly
cryptic plumage
is dimorphic, i.e.
males and
females
are slightly different.
Males
have a pale orange-grey-brown head, while the body
plumage
is predominantly grey-brown, with a faint giraffe-like pattern
all over. The most prominent feature is a narrow dark-brown
breast band. The wing feathers end in dark-brown tips, giving
them a shingled appearance.
Females
have fawn sides of the head and grey-brown body plumage, with dark-brown
streaking on crown and neck, while the back and wings are
heavily barred dark-brown. On the front the chin is pale
orange-brown. The neck and chest are heavily streaked down
to a dark-brown breast band, below which the upper belly is
light grey-brown. The lower belly, vent and undertail coverts
are finely barred dark-brown on light grey-brown.
Females
have prominet blue-grey eye-rings.
Except for the leading and trailing edges, the underwings and
belly of both sexes appear near-black dark-brown when seen
from a distance.
The irises of both sexes are black. The slightly down-curved
bill is grey. The legs and feet are also grey.
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Taxonomy, classification |
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See
Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse at Wikipedia  .
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Range, habitat |
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Click here for information on habitat
and range
The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and
specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found,
based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to
ebird.org
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The global distribution of the Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse is available
HERE
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There are at least 3 races of Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse
whose range extends from the West African coastline in
Mauretania, through sub-Saharan Africa, via parts of
Arabia, to southern Asia.
In Africa nominate race "exustus" populates tropical
northern sub-Saharan Africa. In the East of the continent,
they are found farther to the South, down to northern
Tanzania.
Race
"erlangeri" populates parts of Arabia and the southern
tip of Iran.
Race "hindustan" is found in the border region of Pakistan
and India, and in the western half of the Indian subcontinent.
In Arabia Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse, race
"erlangeri",
are found in coastal areas from the south-western Saudi Arabian
coastline through coastal Yemen and Oman, up to the northern
tip of the Arabian peninsula, and on into the UAE.
Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse have a preference for semi-desert
country with some vegetation, but will also stay near humans
on the fringes of parks and agricultural land.
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Sightings |
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Click here for sighting information
Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse, race
"erlangeri",
were first spotted by us in semi-desert country on the fringes
of the Campus of Sultan Qaboos University, near
Muscat, in March-April 2010. Although not spotted by us on the ground
yet, hundreds were heard and seen flying over the campus at daytime
over the course of several weeks.
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Photos |
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Race "erlangeri"
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ADULT |
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MALE |
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Three Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse in flight - two male birds
centre and right, a female on the left
[Campus of Sultan Qaboos University, near Muscat, April 2010]
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FEMALE |
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Couple of Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse in flight - male bird on
the left, female on the right
[Campus of Sultan Qaboos University, near Muscat, April 2010]
These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our
contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species
please refer to a field guide.
Breeding
Nest
Eggs
Behaviour
Food
Call/s
