Birda Logo
Features
Birda+
About
Species Guide
Challenges
Shop
loading...
A photo of a Black-bellied Sandgrouse (Pterocles orientalis), male
Black-bellied Sandgrouse, Male

Black-bellied Sandgrouse

Pterocles orientalis

The black-bellied sandgrouse, Pterocles orientalis, is a medium to large bird, arguably the most robust member of the sandgrouse family. It exhibits sexual dimorphism, with males sporting a grey head, neck, and breast, contrasted by a striking black underbelly and golden-brown upperparts adorned with darker markings. A thin black border encircles the lower breast, and a chestnut throat patch adds a touch of color. Females, on the other hand, are dressed in browner tones with more intricate markings and share the black underbelly and breast band with the male.

Identification Tips

When observing the black-bellied sandgrouse, look for its small, pigeon-like head and neck, coupled with a stout body. Its long, pointed wings facilitate a swift and direct flight. In flight, the white underwings and distinctive black belly are key features for identification. At dawn, flocks can be seen heading to watering holes, providing an excellent opportunity for observation.

Habitat

This sociable species favors dry, open plains and similar environments. Unlike its relative, the pin-tailed sandgrouse, it does not thrive in areas devoid of vegetation.

Distribution

The black-bellied sandgrouse is widespread, with the nominate race found in the Iberian Peninsula, Northwest Africa, the Canary Islands, Turkey, Iran, Cyprus, and Israel. The eastern subspecies, P. o. arenarius, inhabits Kazakhstan, western China, and northern Pakistan. It is a partial migrant, with birds from Central Asia traveling to Pakistan and northern India during winter.

Song & Calls

The vocalization of the black-bellied sandgrouse is a soft, murmuring "chowrrr rrrr-rrrr," which can be heard during their dawn flights to water sources.

Breeding

Both sexes of the black-bellied sandgrouse take part in incubation duties, but it is the male that is solely responsible for bringing water to the nest. The nest itself is a simple ground scrape, where three greenish eggs with cryptic markings are laid.

Conservation status

The black-bellied sandgrouse is currently listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, indicating that, at present, there are no immediate threats to its population numbers on a global scale.

Black-bellied Sandgrouse Sounds


Recorded by: © 
App logo
Birda is a birdwatching app and community aimed at curious people who want to deepen their connection with nature.

Black-bellied Sandgrouse on Birda

Photos
Sightings

More Sandgrouse

A photo of a Pin-tailed Sandgrouse (Pterocles alchata) , male

Pin-tailed Sandgrouse

Pterocles alchata
Birda Logo

Your birdwatching journey like never before

Connect with nature in minutes
Take a walk, look out of the window and log the birds that you see. Feel good about those little connections to nature.
Discover the joy of birding
Find new birding spots, see more birds, share and celebrate with a like-minded community of nature lovers.
Play your part in saving nature
Logging your birding sightings and sessions turns into positive action for our planet. Every sighting counts.

Birda Blog

What Our Birders Say
Tralisalandhoop
Fantastic app - Love it!
Love this app and have used it almost daily. Lots of species information and easy to use. Love seeing birds spotted by other users in the UK and worldwide.
Emma L
App got me interested in birding!
Super friendly community <3 This app got me interested in birding! It teaches me cool stuff and its super friendly, and fun :) The species guide is really developing my knowledge, and i love seeing cool new birds from round the world!
Safira V
Birding and wellbeing app
Birda is an excellent platform to share your love of Birding and is a great tool of encouragement for a Birding Beginner like me. Birda has a very kind and supportive community of Birding enthusiasts. For me BIRDA is not only a BIRDING but also a WELLBEING App.
Pdydhdrexgi
Fantastic App
This is a really lovely app, for everyone interested in birds - from newbies to old hands. There is a very friendly feel to the community and you will genuinely learn a lot as you record your sightings and photos. There are lots of badges and competitions to keep you engaged, and a host of really useful features.
Sacha0508
Simply fantastic
I love this app, it puts so much fun into recording the birds I’ve seen and heard while I’m out and about. The interface is user-friendly and suitable for all ages. It’s great to collect badges and to review my “lists”.
Carrie
Makes you want to spot birds more
I think this app is fun. It makes you want to spot birds more so I guess in a way it encourages you to get out and about instead of sitting in front of the TV.
SW H
Wonderful App
Birda is my go to app for keeping records of my bird sightings and sessions. It has fantastic information which is great at aiding identification. With all the updates that are coming in the new year, this app is something special.
David C
Very knowledgeable group
Nice friendly birding community. Very knowledgeable group with a willingness to help.
Jake W
Great app
I use this app all the time as it’s quick and easy to log individual sightings or whole birding sessions. It’s an excellent way to meet new people and the forum is full of really friendly people. The challenges are a great way to get involved and learn more about birds. Cannot recommend it enough!
Marlster24
Recommend for any bird watcher
Very wholesome app: I joined this app with a new interest in watching birds to help me find out what I was spotting. The community is very active in helping identify birds which is great and everyone is very kind so it’s just a nice wholesome community. I would definitely recommend this for any bird spotter 😃
As featured in
Birda Logo
AboutPressAmbassadorsAffiliatesInfluencersCareersPrivacyTerms & Conditions
An app for birdwatchers
Connect with us
Copyright © 2024 Chirp Birding. All rights reserved.