Female © Dorna Mojab
Male © Christoph Moning
© Javi Elorriaga
Male © Malihe Rajabi
+ 5
Female © José Frade
Female © Christoph Moning
Female © Rajneesh Suvarna
Male and female © Christoph Moning

Black-bellied Sandgrouse Pterocles orientalis

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Identification

POWERED BY MERLIN

Subtly beautiful shuffling pigeonlike bird with a small head, striking black belly, and pale breast that contrasts with white underwings and black wingtips. Tail is relatively short. Males have a gray head and neck and an orangey throat while females are densely spotted all over. Both sexes have a broad creamy breast band bordered by an eye-catching black stripe. Call is a low, bubbling trill. Most often seen in the mornings when visiting water sources, sometimes in huge flocks, in deserts and semi-deserts with low vegetation.

POWERED BY MERLIN