Order Pterocletiformes | Family Pteroclidae |
Crown, nape and craw of Tibetan Sandgrouse are grey with narrow dark cross-pattern, head-flanks are yellow-rusty; mantle is sandy-grey with fine scaly pattern, scapulars are black with broad buffy edges. Uppertail is dark-grey fine barred. Under-breast, belly and body-flanks are pale with light-chestnut tinge withered on belly. Flight feathers are dark-brown, almost black. Tail feathers are bright-rusty with dark terminal spots and pale edges on tip of each feather. Bill and claws are dark-horn color. Female have upperwing coverts not plain as on male but with dark cross-streaks; upperparts are with more neat cross pattern, streaks on underparts extended almost to middle-belly. Juveniles are similar on female. Wing 242-256 mm.
Tibetan Sandgrouse is rare resident. It inhabits wide river valleys and hills of Pamir with sparse bush thickets; everyday it visits watering-places. Tibetan Sandgrouse lives mostly in groups, these groups may be different in number. In the end of April - early May flocks become active; and groups decay to lesser flocks and later to pairs. Nesting is in June, both parents incubate clutch. In nesting period birds close to nest insensibly. Usually bird alights on long distance from the nest and close to it on foot. Protective colouring makes Tibetan Sandgrouse almost insensible. Lack or absence of lining of nest makes the nest insensible too. First nestlings were observed in end of June to July. Broods of Tibetan Sandgrouses stand on open areas near watering-places. Flying young birds were registered in middle-end of August. Tibetan Sandgrouse is typical graminivorous bird, in summer it eat green parts (leaves, flowers, sprout) of plants, in winter - seeds only. On wintering birds concentrated to larger flocks contained adult and young birds. All winter Tibetan Sandgrouse stands near water, mostly near lakes.
Абдусалямов И.А. "Фауна Таджикской ССР". Том XIX, часть 1. Птицы. Душанбе - 1971. |
Distribution
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Description
Biology
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