Whilst
birding the Sabya Waste Water Lagoons 29 – 30 June 2015 I saw several flocks of
Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse Pterocles exustus. The largest flock was 15
birds with several flocks of ten or more. At one point I saw four birds on the
ground and eventually managed to get reasonably close to them on foot and took
the best photogerpahs I have taken so far of the species. This was at about
16:00 hours three hours before dark and the birds even though they knew of my
presence remained still on the ground depending on their excellent camouflage
to hide. The species is a common breeding resident on the Tihama and southern
Red Sea coastlands, less common in the Northern Hejaz north to Rabigh with all records
below 1000 metres. They are a relatively small species, with elongated central
tail feathers, dark underwing, blackish belly and unmarked head. The male has a
narrow pectoral band and chestnut brown belly darkening towards rear, whereas
the female is more mottled above and shows a tricoloured ventral pattern. Races
differ mainly in tone of upperpart coloration with the Arabian population P.
e. erlangeri sandy coloured. They typically inhabit bare semi-desert, often
with scattered thorny scrubs or trees including Acacia. They feed during the cooler
hours of morning and afternoon and drink 2–3 hours after sunrise, while in very
hot weather some individuals drink again before sunset.
