- Pterocles bicinctus
Identification
Length 25-28 cm
Male: Head pattern, black and white breast bands and barred belly are diagnostic.
Female: Crown, nape and back and sides of neck buff with black streaks. Mantle, back, rump, tail, lower throat, breast and belly are barred blackish.
Distribution
Africa
Western Africa: occurs only in Angola
Eastern Africa: Zambia, Mozambique and Malawi
Southern Africa: Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and South Africa
Taxonomy
Subspecies
Pterocles bicinctus has three subspecies:[1]:
- P. b. ansorgei
- South-western Angola
- P. b. bicinctus
- Namibia, Botswana and north-western South Africa
- P. b. multicolor
- Mozambique, Malawi and Zambia to north-eastern South Africa
Two further subspecies: elizabethae and usheri are generally considered invalid[2]
Habitat
Woodland, savanna and arid grassland.
Behaviour
Crepuscular; drinks in late evening. Often seen on roadsides.
References
- Clements, JF. 2011. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to August 2011. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/downloadable-clements-checklist
- Avibase
- Hockey, PAR, WRJ Dean, and PG Ryan, eds. 2005. Roberts' Birds of Southern Africa. 7th ed. Cape Town: John Voelcker Bird Book Fund. ISBN 978-0620340533
- Sinclair, I and P Ryan. 2003. Birds of Africa South of the Sahara. Princeton: Princeton Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0691118154
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Double-banded Sandgrouse. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 4 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Double-banded_Sandgrouse
