- Ammoperdix heyi
Identification
22-25 cm
- Sandy-brown
- Wavy white and brown flank stripes
Male
- Grey head
- White stripe in front of the eye
- White cheek patch
Female is duller
Distribution
Africa and the Middle East
Northern Africa: Egypt
Eastern Africa: Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia
Middle East: Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, Arabian Peninsula, Saudi Arabia, Yemen. Oman, United Arab Emirates
Taxonomy
Subspecies
There are 4 subspecies[1]:
- A. h. heyi:
- Jordan Valley to Sinai Peninsula and western Saudi Arabia
- A. h. nicolli:
- Northern Egypt east of the Nile
- A. h. cholmleyi:
- Central Egypt east of the Nile to northern Sudan
- A. h. intermedius:
- Southern Arabian Peninsula
Habitat
Deserts.
Behaviour
Diet
The diet includes seeds and insects.
Breeding
Its nest is a scrape in the ground with a little lining. The clutch consists of 5-7 eggs.
Vocalisation
The song is a whistled hwit-hwit-hwit.
References
- Clements, JF. 2011. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to August 2011. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/downloadable-clements-checklist
- Avibase
- Wikipedia
- BF Member observations
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Sand Partridge. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 26 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Sand_Partridge
