Pterocles burchelli
Burchell’s Sandgrouse is a denizen of arid savannas and is especially common in the sparsely vegetated, sandy Kalahari. These seed-eaters normally drink daily, usually 2-5 hours after sunrise, and is subject to localized movements to access food sources and waterholes. Adults weigh around 200g and are about 25cm long.
Burchell’s Sandgrouse move around in small flocks of up to 50, but are monogamous, solitary breeders. Their nests are simple scrapes in the ground, lined with dry plant material and usually placed next to some kind of vegetation. They nest from late autumn to early spring, usually laying 3 eggs. Both parents incubate the eggs and look after the precocial chicks. The adult birds’ breast feathers are adapted to absorb water, which is then flown back to the chicks.
The IUCN considers Burchell’s Sandgrouse to be of least concern. It is distributed over parts of Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana and South Africa (Northern Cape, North West and Limpopo) and has benefited from farming enterprises sinking boreholes to provide water for livestock in otherwise inaccessible areas.
de Wets Wild 
Such beautiful birds. I love how the pairs forage together.
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I think in their harsh environment sticking together is an imperative for survival!
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sandgrouses are always very pretty birds!! 🙂
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That they are, but at times so well hidden!
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Burchell got around. I know of his cuckoo, of course. Mind you, one needs to be pretty cuckoo to sit and grouse in the sand . . .
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😀
I wonder if he was as good a naturalist as all the wildlife named after him would suggest?
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He certainly got around, and in South Africa alone is said to have collected over 50 000 specimens. Imagine if each had been named after him!
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Dis darem lekker om hulle dop te hou by die watergate en dan nog te sien hoe die edelvalke hulle probeer vang..ons gunsteling tydverdryf!
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Dit het ons verstom gelaat dat die duiwe en sandpatryse maar net in hul hordes aanhou kom vir die water al sit die valke so oop-en-bloot, derduisende veertjies orals gestrooi!
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Het julle vangste gesien?
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Ons het, Dina! By Rooikop naby Nossob het ons gekyk hoe n witkruis- en n bleeksingvalk beurte maak om te vang, maar dit was gans te vinnig vir n foto!
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Ja ons kon dit ook nog nie regkry nie! Mens moet letterlik dae daar sit en hoop op ‘n gelukskoot!
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They are quite pretty! I like the spots.
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And yet they’re pretty well camouflaged in their sandy abodes!
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It absorbs water?! That is amazing. Pretty little bird, too.
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I also think it is amazing that they’re able to transport water to their chicks over vast distances, using their feathers!!
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