Burchell’s Sandgrouse
Pterocles burchelli
Sandveld. Usually in pairs or flocks at waterholes. More ochre and heavily speckled than other sandgrouse. Female with yellow face and throat, male grey-blue and more rufous overall.
Sandgrouse
LC
Near Endemic
Description
Common, near-endemic resident. Both sexes told from other sandgrouse by ochre colouring and heavy white spotting all over. Male shows grey about face, ear coverts and throat; female has yellowish face and ochre barring on belly. If alarmed on the ground, utters a ‘gug-gug-gug’ sound but in flight calls ‘chock-lit, chock-lit, chock-lit’. Normally occurs in pairs, but flockss at waterholes in Kalahari sandveld. Gathers to drink two or three hours after sunrise.
Quick Facts
Size
25 cm - M
Names
A: Gevlekte Sandpatrys
Ss: Kokwi Ya Leramatalalehodimo
G: Fleckenflughuhn
Bird Family
Pigeon-like birds with cryptic coloration, males more boldly patterned than females. They have pointed wings and short bills and legs, with the front of the tarsus feathered to the toes. Their walk is shuffling but their flight swift and powerful, the birds often covering considerable distances daily to reach water where, at certain favoured pools, they gather in great flocks morning or evening. All inhabit arid western regions, the Double-banded Sandgrouse ranging more easterly.
Distribution
Gallery
Behaviour
Breeding
Habitat
