Black-faced Sandgrouse

Pterocles decoratus Cabanis, 1868

Black-faced Sandgrouse, Pterocles decoratus, is a ground bird of dry East African country, recorded in Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Tanzania and Uganda. It belongs to the sandgrouse family and was described by Cabanis in 1868. The species is mainly sedentary and lives in open savanna, bushveld, semi-desert scrub and sometimes thick thornbush, especially where there are clear spaces such as roadsides. It is closely tied to arid habitats and is often seen around waterholes in the early morning. The male has a black facial pattern, while the female lacks that mask and shows a pale face with a white mark on the breast.

Order

Pterocliformes

Family

Pteroclidae — Sandgrouse

Breeding range

Africa: e