Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse

Overview
Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse: One of the most common sandgrouse in Africa and India. Upperparts are buff to light brown, underparts and face are chestnut, narrow breastband is black. Back and wings are mottled, primaries are darker brown. Tail has elongated central feathers, legs and feet are gray.

Range and Habitat
Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse: Found only on the big island of Hawaii. Native to India, the southern Arabian peninsula, and parts of Africa. Prefers desert and semi-desert habitats, also found in arid scrub, dry steppe, and fallow fields.

INTERESTING FACTS
It is also known as Indian Sandgrouse, Common Indian Sandgrouse, Small Pin-tailed Sandgrouse, and Lesser Pin-tailed Sandgrouse. One special feature of sandgrouse is their long flights to water holes in desert where not only do they drink, but during breeding they soak their belly feathers to carry water to the chicks. The male's belly feathers can hold up to 20 ml of water. The Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse was first described in 1825 by Dutch zoologist Coenraad Jacob Temminck. A group of sandgrouse has many collective nouns, including a "gripe", a grumbling", a "grain", and a "dune" of sandgrouse.