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Lichtenstein's Sandgrouse
(Pterocles lichtensteinii)
Size: 22-25 cm; wing span ca. 50 cm
Weight: 175-250 g
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Similar
species |
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Physical description |
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 Click here for a physical description
Lichtenstein's 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 near-black and creamy heads, with a dark-grey to black
frons, a creamy bar behind/above the frons, then vertical black
bars above each eye, with another creamy spot behind each eye.
The rest of the head and neck are dark greyish-brown with fine
barring. The rest of the body plumage, in particular the
upperwings, is heavily barred black and white with brown.
The wing feathers have broad light-brown tips.
Females
do not have the creamy and black bar pattern on their heads, but
have grey eye-rings only. Otherwise their body
plumage is
similar to that of
males,
only with less barring and smaller light-brown tips to the wing
feathers. In general,
females
have duller colours than
males.
The irises of both sexes are dark.
The males'
bill is orange, while those of
females
are dark-grey. The legs and feet of both sexes are greyish-pink.
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Taxonomy, classification |
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See
Lichtenstein's 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
.
The global distribution of Lichtenstein's Sandgrouse is available
HERE
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There are at least 2 races of Lichtenstein's Sandgrouse.
Nominate race "lichtensteinii" is found in parts of Africa
(eastern Africa from Kenya to Egypt; northern Africa
along the [near-]coastal fringe), the Middle East and
via Iraq and Iran as far East as Afghanistan.
Race "arabicus"
is found on the Arabian peninsula.
In Arabia, Lichtenstein's Sandgrouse, race
"arabicus",
are found in (near-)coastal
areas from near the Sinai peninsula through western Saudi Arabia
all through near-coastal Yemen and Oman, up to the northern tip
of the Arabian peninsula, in the border region of Oman and the
UAE.
Lichtenstein's Sandgrouse have a preference for wadis and hillsides
with acacia scrub.
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Sightings |
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Click here for sighting information
Lichtenstein's Sandgrouse, race
"arabicus",
were first spotted by us in a wadi in semi-desert country,
with acacia scrub on both sides, on the fringes of the
Campus of Sultan Qaboos University, near Muscat, in March 2010.
Subsequently, they were spotted infrequently, always flying over
in small coveys.
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Photos |
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Race "arabicus"
This race is also called the "Close-barred Lichtenstein's Sandgrouse".
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MALE |
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Lateral view of a male Lichtenstein's Sandgrouse
[Campus of Sultan Qaboos University, near Muscat, March 2010]
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FEMALE |
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Pair of Lichtenstein's Sandgrouse in the shade on rocks in a
wadi, with the male on the right and the female on the left
[Campus of Sultan Qaboos University, near Muscat, March 2010]
Lichtenstein's Sandgrouse in flight
[Campus of Sultan Qaboos University, near Muscat, March 2010]
Lichtenstein's Sandgrouse were always seen flying over, and
always in pairs or small coveys.
Lateral/ventral view of a covey of Lichtenstein's Sandgrouse
passing over
[Campus of Sultan Qaboos University, near Muscat, April 2010]
Near-dorsal/ventral view of a covey of Lichtenstein's Sandgrouse
passing over
[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
