Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse Pterocles exustus Scientific name definitions

31–33 cm; male c. 170–290 g, female c. 140–240 g; wingspan 48–51 cm. Relatively small species, with elongated central tail feathers , dark underwing and blackish belly; unmarked head . Male has narrow pectoral band and chestnut brown belly darkening towards rear; bill slate blue with darker tip; orbital ring pale greenish. Female ; more mottled above; shows “tricoloured” ventral pattern. Juvenile  has short tail; upperparts more densely barred and underparts less contrasting. Races differ mainly in tone of upperpart coloration .

Editor's Note: This article requires further editing work to merge existing content into the appropriate Subspecies sections. Please bear with us while this update takes place.

Introduced (exustus or hindustan) to Hawaii.

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EBIRD GROUP (POLYTYPIC)

Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse (African) Pterocles exustus [exustus Group]

Available illustrations of subspecies in this group

• eBird map
• 118 photos
• 0 recordings

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SUBSPECIES

Pterocles exustus exustus Scientific name definitions

Distribution

S Mauritania and Senegambia E to Sudan.

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SUBSPECIES

Pterocles exustus floweri Scientific name definitions

Distribution

Nile Valley in C Egypt (was believed almost certainly extinct, but recently rediscovered in Minya Province (2 Khil, L., Boetzel, M., Geburzi, J., Trobitz, M., Werner, M., Weinrich, C. and Zegula, T. (2012). Rediscovery of Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse in Egypt in March 2012. Dutch Birding 34(4): 213–218. Close ) ).

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SUBSPECIES

Pterocles exustus ellioti Scientific name definitions

Distribution

SE Sudan E to Eritrea, N Ethiopia and Somalia.

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SUBSPECIES

Pterocles exustus olivascens Scientific name definitions

Distribution

SE South Sudan, S Ethiopia, Kenya and N Tanzania.

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EBIRD GROUP (MONOTYPIC)

Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse (Arabian) Pterocles exustus erlangeri Scientific name definitions

• eBird map
• 246 photos
• 1 recordings

Distribution

SW and S Arabian Peninsula.

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EBIRD GROUP (MONOTYPIC)

Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse (Asian) Pterocles exustus hindustan Scientific name definitions

• eBird map
• 413 photos
• 2 recordings

Distribution

SE Iran, Pakistan and most of India.

Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

Typically inhabits bare semi-desert, often with scattered thorny scrubs or trees, e.g. Acacia, Ziziphus and Capparis in Pakistan and NW India; also found in marginal cultivation, fallow fields, wasteland and grassland. Occurs in flat or rolling terrain, up to 1500 m in altitude.

Sedentary and nomadic; rainfall-related movements detected in Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan and India. Accidental in Hungary: female shot in flock of Syrrhaptes paradoxus Aug 1863. Two birds released in Nevada, USA, recovered in Sonora, Mexico.

Mainly seeds, which are often hard and very small; shows a possible preference for legumes, in Pakistan and NW India taking Indigofera and Tephrosia, in Sudan Tephrosia, and in Tanzania Indigofera and Trianthema; also feeds on cultivated grains in stubble; will take shoots and perhaps insects on occasions. Feeds during cooler hours of morning and afternoon; drinks 2–3 hours after sunrise, while in very hot weather some individuals drink again before sunset.

Flight call a rhythmic three-note phrase “whit!-kt-arrr”, first note a staccato over-slurred whistle, while the second and third are lower-pitched, goose-like and guttural. In flocks, birds call simultaneously, resulting in a constant nasal duck-like squabbling.

Period extended, with variability related to local rainfall: Jan–Apr in S India; Mar–May in N India (where chicks recorded also in early Jul ); Apr–Jun in Arabia, Sudan, Ethiopia and Somalia; Feb–Nov in Kenya; May–Nov in N Tanzania; and mainly Mar–Jul in Mali and Senegambia. Nest is simple scrape in ground, lined scantily or not at all. Usually 3 eggs; incubation 22–23 days, with male sitting by night; chick has golden buff down with black and white markings .

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Common and widespread through most of extensive range; very common to abundant in some areas, e.g. in N Senegambia, NC Mali, C Chad, N Sudan, lowlands of Ethiopia, Somalia and Pakistan. Often flocks of thousands gather at watering points, with up to 50,000 birds recorded at Kabara L in Mali. Race floweri of Nile Valley in Egypt probably now extinct; formerly fairly common, but had already become scarce by 1929, with last sighting of 10 birds between Isna and Idfu, in Mar 1979.