Female © Tom Heijnen
Female © Charley Hesse TROPICAL BIRDING
Male and female © Margot Oorebeek
© Elona Hart

Namaqua Sandgrouse Pterocles namaqua

Sign in to see your badges

Identification

POWERED BY MERLIN

A dumpy, short-legged, pigeon-like bird that shuffles awkwardly on the ground and flies in a fast and direct manner, singly or in groups. It has a long, pointed tail and sharply-pointed wings. The male has a pair of black-and-white bands across the chest and has a plain buffy face and head; the female is mottled with black, brown, and white..Namaqua Sandgrouse is nomadic in desert, semi-desert, and arid savanna. It feeds on grass seed and can frequently be seen coming to drink in the early morning or at dusk. Call a far-carrying, tremulous, musical “Kelkiw-wyn”.

POWERED BY MERLIN