Whilst birding the Jubail area 12
February, Phil Roberts and I saw a Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse Pterocles
exustus. This was a new species for the Eastern Province for me although
Phil had seen one previously. They are a common and widespread breeding
resident on the Tihamah and southern Red Sea coastlands, less common in the
Northern Hejaz north to Rabigh with all records below 1000 metres. The species
is, however, rare in Central Saudi Arabia and had not been recorded in the
Eastern Province until 2013 when I was sent a photograph showing a number of birds
(unfortunately) shot, apparently near Al Hassa in 2013. Phil Roberts then saw a
single bird at Sabkhat Al Fasl in 2014 and this record from Jubail is only the
third for the Eastern Province. Unfortunately the bird flew before we could get
any photos so the photograph below is of one I saw at Sabya Waste Water
Treatment Pools, near Jizan in the southwest of the Kingdom. 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.
