Spotted Sandgrouse

The Spotted Sandgrouse, Pterocles senegallus, is a ground-dwelling bird of the Pteroclidae family, notable for its cryptic plumage and desert adaptations. Males and females exhibit sexual dimorphism in their plumage. The male is characterized by a reddish-brown nape, pale grey collar, orange throat, and grey breast, with pinkish-grey upper parts and distinctive dark patches on the wings, tail, and lower belly. The female, while also sporting an orange throat, is generally duller with greyish-brown plumage and liberally spotted with dark markings.

Identification Tips

When observing the Spotted Sandgrouse, look for the elongated central tail feathers, which are less pronounced than those of the Pin-tailed Sandgrouse. In flight, the dark belly stripe is a key feature to watch for. The male's pale primaries with dark trailing edges are a distinguishing characteristic, setting it apart from the Crowned Sandgrouse, which has entirely dark primaries.

Habitat

This species thrives in arid regions, making its home in deserts and semi-arid landscapes. It is largely sedentary, though some local movement of flocks may occur.

Distribution

The Spotted Sandgrouse spans across northern and eastern Africa, the Middle East, and parts of Asia, reaching as far east as northwest India. It has been observed as a rare winter visitor in Kutch and as a vagrant in Italy, the United Arab Emirates, and Turkey.

Behaviour

The Spotted Sandgrouse is a gregarious and diurnal bird, known for its swift flight and rapid wingbeat. It emits a musical "queeto-queeto" call, which is distinctive among sandgrouse species. Flocks forage for seeds and other plant matter, and make daily trips to waterholes for hydration. They exhibit remarkable wariness and employ sentinel systems to evade predators such as the lanner falcon.

Song & Calls

The Spotted Sandgrouse's call is a melodious "queeto-queeto," which serves as a communication tool within the flock and as an alarm signal in the presence of threats.

Breeding

Breeding occurs in the hottest part of the summer on stony desert plains. The nest is a simple depression in the ground, with two to three camouflaged eggs laid. Both parents share incubation duties, and the eggs hatch after approximately 20 days.

Similar Species

The Crowned Sandgrouse (Pterocles coronatus) can be confused with the Spotted Sandgrouse, but the former has completely dark primaries, while the latter has pale primaries with dark trailing edges.

Diet and Feeding

The diet consists primarily of seeds and other vegetable matter found among the sparse vegetation of its habitat. After rainfall, the birds may focus on green growth such as spurge before returning to their usual seed diet.

Conservation Status

The Spotted Sandgrouse is listed as "Least Concern" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), indicating a stable population across its extensive range.