Photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/francesco_veronesi/ / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Pin-tailed Sandgrouse
Pterocles alchata
Pin-tailed Sandgrouse (Pterocles alchata) — Unusual & Unique Birds of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 4 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Pin-tailed Sandgrouse (Pterocles alchata) is a member of the Pteroclidae family found in Africa and Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 276 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Pterocliformes
- Family Pteroclidae Sandgrouse
- Genus Pterocles
- Species alchata
Quick facts
- Weight
- 276 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Pteroclidae
- Order
- Pterocliformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Pin-tailed Sandgrouse is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Pin-tailed Sandgrouse is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Pin-tailed Sandgrouse (Pterocles alchata) belongs to the Pteroclidae family of the order Pterocliformes. Its range spans Africa and Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL, AF sw PAL and n AF.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 276 g, with a wing length of about 19.4 cm and a tail of around 14.2 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 3.1 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Pin-tailed Sandgrouse?
The Pin-tailed Sandgrouse is a large bird that weighs around 276 g.
Where does the Pin-tailed Sandgrouse live?
The Pin-tailed Sandgrouse is found across Africa and Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL, AF sw PAL and n AF, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Pin-tailed Sandgrouse belong to?
The Pin-tailed Sandgrouse (Pterocles alchata) belongs to the Pteroclidae family, in the order Pterocliformes.
What does the Pin-tailed Sandgrouse eat?
The Pin-tailed Sandgrouse is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Pin-tailed Sandgrouse migrate?
The Pin-tailed Sandgrouse is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Pin-tailed Sandgrouse endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Pin-tailed Sandgrouse make?
1 real field recording of the Pin-tailed Sandgrouse — including its flight call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Pin-tailed Sandgrouse's range?
The Pin-tailed Sandgrouse has a mapped global range of about 3.1 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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