Region

North Africa and the Middle East

Typical Environment

Occurs patchily across arid and semi-arid regions from Morocco and Western Sahara through Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Egypt to the Sinai, Israel, Jordan, and the Arabian Peninsula. It favors gravel and stone deserts (regs/hamadas), sparsely vegetated plains, and dry wadis with scattered shrubs. The species avoids dense sand dunes and prefers open ground for running and foraging. After rains it can appear more widely where ephemeral plants sprout.

Altitude Range

Sea level to 1500 m

Climate Zone

Arid

Temperament

wary and ground-oriented

Flight Pattern

short rapid wingbeats with low, direct flights

Social Behavior

Usually seen singly or in pairs during the breeding season, forming small loose flocks at other times. Nests are shallow scrapes on the ground placed near a stone or low shrub for cover. Clutches are small, and breeding often follows rainfall pulses. Both adults guard the nest area, with the female primarily incubating.

Migratory Pattern

Resident

Song Description

Song is a simple series of soft trills and chirrs delivered from the ground or during a brief fluttering display flight. Calls include sharp, dry notes used to keep contact in open terrain.

Diet

Consumes a mix of hard seeds from desert grasses and annuals, supplemented by insects such as beetles, ants, and grasshoppers, especially in the breeding season. Its stout bill allows it to crack tough seed coats and glean items from hard ground. After rains it exploits ephemeral plant and insect blooms. It will also pick small invertebrates disturbed by wind or moving animals.

Preferred Environment

Forages on open stony flats, gravel plains, and in dry wadis with scattered low vegetation. Typically feeds on the ground by walking and pecking, occasionally scratching aside debris.