The black-bellied sandgrouse is a medium large bird in the sandgrouse family.
Region
Iberian Peninsula, North Africa, Middle East, and Central Asia
Typical Environment
Occupies open, dry habitats such as semi-desert, steppe, and sparsely vegetated plains. It also uses fallow fields and cereal farmlands with wide, unobstructed sightlines. Nests on bare or stony ground with minimal cover. Regular access to surface water is crucial, and birds commute daily to reliable water sources.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 2500 m
Climate Zone
Arid
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 2/5
Black-bellied sandgrouse are adapted to arid landscapes and often fly long distances to reach water. Males soak specialized belly feathers to carry water back to their downy chicks—a remarkable behavior unique to sandgrouse. Their cryptic, finely barred plumage makes them hard to spot on stony ground. Flocks commonly visit waterholes at dawn and dusk, giving distinctive rolling calls in flight.
Egg
Temperament
wary and alert, but gregarious in open habitats
Flight Pattern
strong, direct flier with rapid wingbeats over long distances
Social Behavior
Often forms small to large flocks, especially when commuting to water. Pairs are typically monogamous, nesting on the ground in a shallow scrape with 2–3 eggs. Adults, especially males, transport water in belly feathers to hydrate chicks at the nest.
Migratory Pattern
Partial migrant
Song Description
Gives carrying, rolling calls in flight, often rendered as a repeated, guttural ‘kattar’ or ‘krru’. Vocalizations are most frequent during early morning and evening flights to water.
Plumage
Sandy-buff to gray upperparts intricately barred and mottled, with a bold black belly patch contrasting with paler breast and throat. Underwings appear dark in flight; tail fairly long and pointed. Females are more heavily barred and duller overall.
Diet
Primarily consumes seeds of grasses, forbs, and cultivated cereals, often picking them directly from the ground. Will also take buds and green shoots when available. Occasional ingestion of small grit aids digestion; invertebrates are taken rarely.
Preferred Environment
Feeds in open steppe, semi-desert, and extensive agricultural fields with sparse cover. Often forages near resting areas and along routes to waterholes.
