Crowned Sandgrouse

Pterocles coronatus Lichtenstein, MHC, 1823

Crowned Sandgrouse, Pterocles coronatus, is a sandgrouse of deserts across North Africa and south Asia, from Mauritania and the Sahara east through the Middle East to Pakistan. It is found mainly in stony desert and also breeds among dark red sandstone in North Africa, while avoiding places with dense vegetation. From a distance it looks fairly plain, but the dark flight feathers stand out and are the clearest mark for separating it from the spotted sandgrouse. The adult male has a black mask, and females and young show dark vermiculations across the breast and belly.

Order

Pterocliformes

Family

Pteroclidae — Sandgrouse

Breeding range

Africa, Palearctic: w AF to Pakistan