Painted Sandgrouse (Pterocles Indicus) Complete detail. Description of Painted Sandgrouse (Pterocles Indicus) – Bhat teetar. Classification of Painted Sandgrouse (Pterocles Indicus). Habit and habitat of Painted Sandgrouse. They found in dry regions in rough grassland, rocky areas and scrub and feeds mainly on seeds.
The painted Sandgrouse is a resident bird found throughout the central, north western India. It is a terrestrial bird usually seen in pairs. It is found in areas of low rainfall on sandy and gravelly plains with tussocky grass and rough vegetation…………
Local name of Painted Sandgrouse (Pterocles Indicus) is Bhat teetar. The painted Sandgrouse is a plump ground-dwelling bird with a small head and short legs. It is gregarious and groups congregate at waterholes to drink. Size of Painted Sandgrouse is between 25 cm to 30 cm including the tail. The Weight of adult is between 170 g. to 240 g.
They have Swift flapping flight. Breeding takes place at any time of the year and is dependent on rainfall. Usually the nests are solitary but sometimes several pairs of birds choose sites near each other. Female lays 2 or 3 pinkish-grey eggs with brown markings are laid over the course of a few days.
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Description
Local name of Painted Sandgrouse is Bhat teetar. Size of Painted Sandgrouse is between 25 cm to 30 cm including the tail. The Weight of adult is between 170 g. to 240 g. The painted Sandgrouse is a plump ground-dwelling bird with a small head and short legs. The sexes are differently coloured. In the male, the bill is orange and there is a black bar across the white forehead, fine black longitudinal lines on the nape and a white patch of bare skin surrounding the eye. There is a broad black and white band around the chest.
The breast and belly are a uniform pinkish-brown color and the back, wings and tail are brown, boldly marked in black and white transverse bars. Male Painted Sandgrouse has white fore crown that is cut across by a black band. Also has a tri colored chestnut, buff and black gorget on the breast and underparts are close barred. Plumage is also close barred with no pin feathers in tail.
The female is duller in appearance being a greyish brown color, barred and speckled with darker brown and white. Female is finely barred with chocolate, black and buff color above and below.
Classification
Common Name – Painted Sandgrouse
Local Name – Bhat teetar
Zoological Name – Pterocles Indicus
Kingdom – Animalia
Phylum – Chordata
Class – Aves
Order – Pteroclidiformes
Family – Pteroclididae
Genus – Pterocles
Conservational Status – Schedule – IV, according to wildlife (Protection) act, 1972 and classified as Least Concern (LC) by the IUCN.
Distribution
Painted Sandgrouse is a resident bird found throughout the central, north western India. It is a terrestrial bird usually seen in pairs. It is found in areas of low rainfall on sandy and gravelly plains with tussocky grass and rough vegetation.
Habit and habitat
The painted Sandgrouse found in dry regions in rough grassland, rocky areas and scrub and feeds mainly on seeds. It is gregarious and groups congregate at waterholes to drink.
It is very well camouflaged in the terrain and cannot be spotted until walks through. Likes bare stone plateau, dry scrub area and open forests. Nesting season is throughout the year. They have Swift flapping flight.
Their principal diet is seeds but they also eat leaves, shoots, Grains, flowers, small fruit, insects and mollusks. A scrap on ground preferred stony. Near or under a bush or grass. Voice is, clucking yek-yek-yek or distinctive chirik- chiril.
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Breeding takes place at any time of the year and is dependent on rainfall. Usually the nests are solitary but sometimes several pairs of birds choose sites near each other. Female lays 2 or 3 pinkish-grey eggs with brown markings are laid over the course of a few days. Incubation starts after the last egg has been laid and lasts about 24 days. The female does the incubation by day and the male does a longer shift at night, starting about two hours before sunset and finishing two hours after dawn.
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