- Pterocles gutturalis
Identification
30 cm (11¾ in)
Male
- Yellow face and throat
- Black collar
- Olive-brown overall plumage
- Cinnamon upper wing-coverts
- Blackish flight feathers
- Chestnut belly
Female lacks the black collar and has mottled brown plumage
Similar Species
While the male is quite distinctive, the female can be mistaken for the female Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse, but lacks the broad pale area on the breast.
Distribution
Africa: found from Ethiopia through Kenya and Tanzania to the extreme North of Zambia; southern Zambia south to South Africa.
Taxonomy
Pterocles gutturalis has two subspecies:[1]
- P. g. saturatior
- P. g. gutturalis
- Southern Zambia and Botswana to north-central South Africa
Habitat
Short open grassland, recently burnt areas and fallow fields; usually near water.
Behaviour
Diet
Usually found in pairs or small groups on short grass plains feeding on seeds but gathers in flocks to fly to water holes mid-morning.
Breeding
Usually nests in the dry season in a small scrape or hollow in the ground. The male carries water back to the nestlings on his breast feathers.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2017. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2017, with updates to August 2017. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved Oct 2017)
- colostate.edu
- Tanzaniabirds
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Yellow-throated Sandgrouse. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 4 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Yellow-throated_Sandgrouse
