Pterocles

Pterocles
Spotted Sandgrouse
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Pteroclidiformes
Family:	Pteroclididae
Genus:	Pterocles Temminck, 1815
species
see text

Pterocles is a genus of near passerine birds in the sandgrouse family. It includes all the species in the family except for two central Asian species in Syrrhaptes

These sandgrouse have small, pigeon-like heads and necks, but sturdy compact bodies. They have long pointed wings and sometimes tails. Their legs are feathered down to the toes, but unlike Syrrhaptes the toes are not feathered.

Pterocles sandgrouse have a fast direct flight, and flocks fly to watering holes at dawn and dusk.

Two to three eggs are laid directly on the ground. They are buff or greenish with cryptic markings. All species are resident.

Species in taxonomic order

• Pin-tailed sandgrouse, P. alchata
• Namaqua sandgrouse, P. namaqua
• Chestnut-bellied sandgrouse, P. exustus
• Spotted sandgrouse, P. senegallus
• Black-bellied sandgrouse, P. orientalis
• Crowned sandgrouse, P. coronatus
• Yellow-throated sandgrouse, P. gutturalis
• Burchell's sandgrouse, P. burchelli
• Madagascan sandgrouse, P. personatus
• Black-faced sandgrouse, P. decoratus
• Lichtenstein's sandgrouse, P. lichtensteinii
• Double-banded sandgrouse, P. bicinctus
• Painted sandgrouse, P. indicus
• Four-banded sandgrouse, P. quadricinctus

External links

• Sandgrouse videos on the Internet Bird Collection