the pin-tailed sandgrouse ( pterocles alchata ) is a medium large bird in the sandgrouse family .

it has a small , pigeon like head and neck and a sturdy , compact body .

it has long pointed wings , which are white underneath , a long tail and a fast direct flight .

flocks fly to watering holes at dawn .

the call is a loud kattar-kattar .

this gregarious species breeds on dry open treeless plains and similar habitats .

its nest is a ground scrape into which two or three cream-coloured eggs with cryptic markings are laid .

both sexes incubate the eggs .

the pin-tailed sandgrouse is about 35 centimetres ( 14 in ) long .

its head and upperparts are yellowish-green .

the underparts are white with a chestnut breast band separating the belly from the green neck .

sexes are somewhat similar , but the female is better camouflaged and has a shorter tail than the male .

there are two subspecies ; p. a. alchata breeds in southern europe and p. a. caudacutus breeds in northwestern africa , the middle east and southeastern asia .

it is a partial migrant , with some asian birds moving to the middle east and northern pakistan in winter .

males of the eastern race have duller underparts than the european birds , and the females have white , rather than yellow , wing coverts .

pin - tailed sandgrouse

pin - tailed sandgrouse <EOT> chestnut bellied sandgrouse , common indian sandgrouse , indian sandgrouse , lesser pin - tailed sandgrouse , small pin - tailed sandgrouse .

english : common indian sandgrouse , common sandgrouse , indian sandgrouse , kenyan pin - tailed sandgrouse , lesser pintailed sandgrouse , singed sandgrouse , small pin - tailed sandgrouse , somaliland pin - tailed sandgrouse , chestnut - breasted sandgrouse ; french : ganga à ventre brun ; german : braunbauchflughuhn ; spanish : ganga moruna .

nobody uploaded sound recordings for pin - tailed sandgrouse ( pterocles alchata ) yet .

) species factsheet : pin - tailed sandgrouse pterocles alchata [ www document ] . url

the pin - tailed sandgrouse ( pterocles alchata ) is a bird in the columbiformes order .

the pin - tailed sandgrouse is classified as least concern ( lc ) on the iucn red list ( 1 ) .

changes in behaviour and faecal glucocorticoid levels in response to increased human activities during weekends in the pin - tailed sandgrouse .

information on the pin - tailed sandgrouse ( pterocles alchata ) is currently being researched and written and will appear here shortly .

the iba of pin - tailed sandgrouse species in turkey are akçakale plains , ceylanpınar and southern euphrates valley and birecik plains . the iba of pin - tailed sandgrouse species in turkmenistan is chokrak - tutly . the iba of these sandgrouse species in portugal is upper river tejo . the iba in france is crau .

the pin - tailed sandgrouse does not approach the thresholds for being vulnerable either under the range size criterion or under the population trend criterion or under the population size criterion . the iucn ( international union for conservation of nature ) has categorized and evaluated the pin - tailed sandgrouse (

changes in behaviour and faecal glucocorticoid levels in response to increased human activities during weekends in the pin - tailed sandgrouse . - pubmed - ncbi

embed this arkive thumbnail link ( " portlet " ) by copying and pasting the code below . < a href = " urltoken " title = " arkive photo - pin - tailed sandgrouse eggs " > < img src = " urltoken " alt = " arkive photo - pin - tailed sandgrouse eggs " title = " arkive photo - pin - tailed sandgrouse eggs " border = " 0 " / > < / a >

embed this arkive thumbnail link ( " portlet " ) by copying and pasting the code below . < a href = " urltoken " title = " arkive photo - pin - tailed sandgrouse chick " > < img src = " urltoken " alt = " arkive photo - pin - tailed sandgrouse chick " title = " arkive photo - pin - tailed sandgrouse chick " border = " 0 " / > < / a >

the irises of the pin - tailed sandgrouse are brown . the bare skin around the eyes is slaty blue . the bill is slaty gray . the pin - tailed sandgrouse call is a loud “ kattar - kattar” in flight and also a nasal “ga - ga - ga " sound .

spline correlograms for pin - tailed and black - bellied sandgrouse with 95 % pointwise bootstrap confidence intervals and maximum lag distance of 15 km derived for 1 ) landscape scale and 2 ) microhabitat scale . a ) pin - tailed sandgrouse ; b ) black - bellied sandgrouse . distance was measured in meters ( doc 54 kb )

embed this arkive thumbnail link ( " portlet " ) by copying and pasting the code below . < a href = " urltoken " title = " arkive photo - pin - tailed sandgrouse pair in flight " > < img src = " urltoken " alt = " arkive photo - pin - tailed sandgrouse pair in flight " title = " arkive photo - pin - tailed sandgrouse pair in flight " border = " 0 " / > < / a >

embed this arkive thumbnail link ( " portlet " ) by copying and pasting the code below . < a href = " urltoken " title = " arkive photo - pin - tailed sandgrouse nest in habitat " > < img src = " urltoken " alt = " arkive photo - pin - tailed sandgrouse nest in habitat " title = " arkive photo - pin - tailed sandgrouse nest in habitat " border = " 0 " / > < / a >

the landscape requirements are analysed and population sizes are estimated for the pin - tailed and black - bellied sandgrouse during the breeding season in peninsular spain . the estimated populations in the 26 study zones , which comprise the main breeding areas of spain , are c . 13 , 000 individual pin - tailed sandgrouse and 3500 black - bellied sandgrouse . the overall population estimate for peninsular spain is < 14 , 000 pin - tailed sandgrouse and 9000–11 , 000 black - bellied sandgrouse . the latter figure places the species within the ‘endangered’ category in europe .

embed this arkive thumbnail link ( " portlet " ) by copying and pasting the code below . < a href = " urltoken " title = " arkive species - pin - tailed sandgrouse ( pterocles alchata ) " > < img src = " urltoken " alt = " arkive species - pin - tailed sandgrouse ( pterocles alchata ) " title = " arkive species - pin - tailed sandgrouse ( pterocles alchata ) " border = " 0 " / > < / a >

embed this arkive thumbnail link ( " portlet " ) by copying and pasting the code below . < a href = " urltoken " title = " arkive photo - male pin - tailed sandgrouse collecting water in feathers " > < img src = " urltoken " alt = " arkive photo - male pin - tailed sandgrouse collecting water in feathers " title = " arkive photo - male pin - tailed sandgrouse collecting water in feathers " border = " 0 " / > < / a >

english : abyssinian sandgrouse , close - barred sandgrouse , somaliland sandgrouse , suk sandgrouse ; french : ganga de lichtenstein ; german : wellenflughuhnl ; spanish : ganga de lichtenstein .

martín ca , casas f , mougeot f et al ( 2010b ) seasonal variations in habitat preferences of the pin - tailed sandgrouse in agrarian pseudo - steppes . ardeola 57 : 191–198

reproduction : breeding season occurs from april to august , with peak in may - june . pin - tailed sandgrouse nests on the ground , in shallow depression or scrape , without lining .

diet : pin - tailed sandgrouse feeds on seeds , green shoots and leaves , mainly from leguminosae , but also from other plant species . they can add cereal grains and cultivated legumes .

these pin - tailed sandgrouse species are partially migratory birds . the breeding populations in northwest africa , spain , portugal , france , middle east and parts of afghanistan are sedentary or nomadic .

spline correlograms for pin - tailed and black - bellied sandgrouse ( large geographical spatial scale ) with 95 % pointwise bootstrap confidence intervals and maximum lag distance of 100 km derived from 1 ) glm models ( on the left ) and 2 ) glm analyses after applying the moran eigenvector filtering function ( on the right ) . a ) pin - tailed sandgrouse ; b ) black - bellied sandgrouse . distance was measured in meters . ( doc 67 kb )

benítez - lópez , a . & garcía - egea , i . 2015 . first record of an aberrantly colored pin - tailed sandgrouse pterocles alchata . wilson journal of ornithology 127 , 755 - 759 .

martín ca , casas f , mougeot f , garcía jt , viñuela j ( 2010b ) seasonal variations in habitat preferences of the pin - tailed sandgrouse in agrarian pseudo - steppes . ardeola 57 ( 1 ) : 191–198

the diet of these pin - tailed sandgrouse species is mostly wild seeds , especially of legumes . they also feed on grain , green shoots , flowers and leaves . they fly in large flocks to watering holes at dawn .

the breeding populations of the pin - tailed sandgrouse in kazakhstan , uzbekistan , turkmenistan and kyrgyzstan are migratory and migrate to central saudi arabia , northern iraq , southern afghanistan , pakistan and northwest india ( rajasthan , punjab and haryana ) for wintering .

benítez - lópez , ana and garcía - egea , iván 2015 . first record of an aberrantly colored pin - tailed sandgrouse ( pterocles alchata ) . the wilson journal of ornithology , vol . 127 , issue . 4 , p . 755 .

these species of sandgrouse are distributed in north africa , middle east , turkey , iran , iraq , kazakhstan , uzbekistan , turkmenistan , kyrgyzstan , spain , portugal , france , afghanistan , pakistan and india . the pin - tailed sandgrouse species are gregarious and flocks of hundreds of birds fly to watering holes at dawn . there are two recognized subspecies of these sandgrouse species .

martín ca , casas f , mougeot f et al ( 2010a ) positive interactions between vulnerable species in agrarian pseudo - steppes : habitat use by pin - tailed sandgrouse depends on its association with the little bustard . anim conserv 13 : 383–389 . doi :

voice : sounds by xeno - canto pin - tailed sandgrouse gives contact calls in flight . these loud calls are repeated at shot intervals “khattar - khattar” . the french name comes from this sound ( cata ) . on the ground , the bird utters some clucking sounds .

2010 . françois mougeot , ana benítez - lópez , carlos a . martín , fabián casas , jesús t . garcía , javier viñuela . seasonal movements and breeding of pin - tailed sandgrouse pterocles alchata . xx congreso español de ornitología . tremp ( lleida ) , spain .

pin - tailed sandgrouse abundance is positively correlated with the area of fallow and stubble , while black - bellied sandgrouse abundance is positively correlated with the amount of medium / long - term fallow land and the proportion of land used for dry pasture . all of these landscape variables have undergone profound changes in spain since the 1960s due to agricultural intensification .

status : rare ( category iii ) , decreasing in number and area of distribution . the pin - tailed sandgrouse inhabits the deserts of north africa , the near east and central asia . in kazakstan it is found from the aral sea to the betpak dala desert . during the past several years , both the area where it is found and its numbers have been considerably reduced . in the 1960s , flocks of tens and even hundreds of thousands of birds could be observed . today , flocks of several hundreds is a rarity . the basic factors causing the decline in pin - tailed sandgrouse populations are poaching ( at the water holes ) and the disturbance of nesting birds by humans . to protect the pin - tailed sandgrouse , it is necessary to create both the betpak dala preserve and the kyzyl kum preserve and to forbid hunting at all watering places .

outside the breeding season of the pin - tailed sandgrouse , all the upperparts , including head are barred in black and pale - yellow and the throat patch becomes whitish . the female has duller colors . the chin is whitish and the back and the wings are grayish with black barring .

2010 . ana benítez - lópez , carlos a . martín , fabián casas , jesús t . garcía , françois mougeot , javier viñuela . first mortality records in pin - tailed sandgrouse ( pterocles alchata ) in spain . xx congreso español de ornitología . tremp ( lleida ) , spain .

2010 . ana benítez - lópez , carlos a . martín , fabián casas , françois mougeot , jesús t . garcía , javier viñuela . home ranges and seasonal movements of pin - tailed sandgrouse ( pterocles alchata ) . xiii congreso nacional y x iberoamericano de etología . ciudad real , spain . links

english : imperial sandgrouse , large sandgrouse , oriental sand - grouse ; french : ganga unibande ; german : sandflughuhn ; spanish : ganga ortega .

reasons for the need for protection / inclusion in annex i the pin - tailed sandgrouse is undergoing a widespread decline in both its popualtion size and distribution . this is due mainly to the destruction of dry grassland which has followed the agricultural intensification , particularly in the form of irrigation schemes , and hunting .

2014 . iván peragón , carlos a . martín , fabián casas , ana benítez - lópez , françois mougeot , jesús t . garcía , javier viñuela . satellite - tracking of pin - tailed sandgrouse ( pterocles alchata ) : home ranges and seasonal movements . xxii congreso español de ornitología , madrid , spain .

there is a broad brownish yellow band on the breast of pin - tailed sandgrouse , bordered on either side by a thin black stripe . the outer wing coverts are reddish brown with black and pale - yellow edges . the rump and tail are barred dark brown and pale - yellow . the central tail streamers are grayish brown . the sandgrouse underparts , underwing and feathered legs are whitish .

protection / threats / status : pin - tailed sandgrouse is common or locally common in several parts of the range , but the species is threatened in most parts of europe , due to changes in agricultural practices . it is still common in spain , and at this moment , this species is not globally threatened .

the pin - tailed sandgrouse is distributed in northwest africa , spain , portugal , france , middle east , afghanistan , kazakhstan , uzbekistan , turkmenistan , kyrgyzstan , saudi arabia , northern iraq , southern afghanistan , pakistan and northwest india . in india they are distributed in the states of rajasthan , punjab and haryana .

predictive species’ distribution models may answer ecological questions about habitat selection , co - occurrence of species and competition between them . we studied the habitat preferences and segregation of two sympatric species of declining sandgrouse , the black - bellied sandgrouse ( pterocles orientalis ) and the pin - tailed sandgrouse ( pterocles alchata ) , during the breeding season . we developed predictive models that related sandgrouse presence to environmental variables at three different spatial levels : large geographical , landscape and microhabitat scales . at the large geographical scale , differences between sandgrouse distributions , in the iberian peninsula , seem to be explained mainly in terms of bioclimatology : pin - tailed sandgrouse appear to be a more thermophilous species and occupy warmer sites usually located in flatter areas . at the landscape spatial level , in those areas that exhibit environmental conditions allowing for both species’ co - existence at a large geographical scale , black - bellied sandgrouse appear to be more tolerant to environmental variation than pin - tailed sandgrouse . at the microhabitat level , however , differences between species could be related to different flocking behaviour as a consequence of different sensitivities to vegetation structure and predators . thus , the observed spatial distribution patterns are the result of different ecological factors that operate at different spatial levels . conservation guidelines for these species should therefore consider their habitat preferences at large geographical , landscape and microhabitat scales .

habitat : pin - tailed sandgrouse frequents arid and semi - arid treeless plains such as semi - desert , steppes , dry mudflats near marshes , and dry cereal fields . this bird avoids dense scrub or tall vegetation , and prefers clay or sandy surfaces . it can be seen in hilly areas and at high elevation .

these pin - tailed sandgrouse species do not occur normally in forest . they inhabit various dry inland ecosystems . they inhabit semi - arid plains , fallow agricultural fields , arid treeless plains , semi - deserts , hot deserts , temperate grasslands , shrublands with sparse short shrubs , steppe , open grassland plains and dry mudflats .

benítez - lópez , a . , mougeot , f . , garcía , j . t . , martín , c . a . & viñuela , j . 2015 . individual traits and extrinsic factors influence survival of the threatened pin - tailed sandgrouse ( pterocles alchata ) in europe . biological conservation 187 , 192 - 200 .

knowledge of the factors determining species distributions is essential for developing conservation strategies . sandgrouse

the breeding season of these pin - tailed sandgrouse species depends upon availability of feed . these sandgrouse species are monogamous and feeding flocks break into pairs . the nest is a ground scrape , which is usually unlined . typically three eggs are laid . the male incubates in the night and the female incubates in the day . the eggs hatch in about 25 days and hatchlings are led to feed by both the parents .

2012 . fabián casas , jesús t . garcía , françois mougeot , ana benítez - lópez , carlos a . martín , sergio gonzález , alejandro urmeneta , javier viñuela . seasonal movements of pin - tailed sandgrouse in bardenas reales biosphere reserve ( navarra ) . poster . xiii congreso nacional y x iberoamericano de etología . sevilla , spain .

range : pin - tailed sandgrouse of race “alchata” is sedentary and nomadic in spain and se france . the race “caudacutus” is found in nw africa , se turkey and middle east . it is resident in north africa and middle east , whereas the populations of the northernmost parts of the range are migratory , wintering in pakistan and nw india .

description smaller ( l 33 cm ) than black - bellied sandgrouse ( pterocles orientalis ) , and easy to tell from latter by long tail extension and lack of black belly . in winter gathers in large flocks . the pin - tailed sandgrouse is a species of steppe country , requiring plains without trees or high bushes . it favours lowland plains which comprise a mosaic of arable and non - irrigated fields . the diet consists mainly of seeds . resident .

pin - tailed sandgrouse - the sandgrouse of the agricultural fields of the north - western negev and the species with the narrowest distribution of all four . autumn and winter gatherings at urim have reached between 2000 - 4000 birds annually , and occasionally have exceeded 6000 , all during the 80 ' s and first half of the 90 ' s . since the mid 90 ' s , however , numbers have been ranging between 500 to less than 1000 birds only .

casas , fabián benítez - lópez , ana tarjuelo , rocío barja , isabel viñuela , javier garcía , jesús t . morales , manuel b . and mougeot , francois 2016 . changes in behaviour and faecal glucocorticoid levels in response to increased human activities during weekends in the pin - tailed sandgrouse . the science of nature , vol . 103 , issue . 11 - 12 ,

one of the most common sandgrouse in africa and india ; in no danger of decline .

there are currently no known conservation plans targeting the chestnut - bellied sandgrouse ( 1 ) .

pin - tailed sandgrouses are gregarious birds and live in flocks of different sizes . in spain , they are often seen with groups of little bustards ( tetrax tetrax ) . sandgrouses are very difficult to see , due to their cryptic plumage and their unobtrusiveness , except when they are flying .

pin - tailed sandgrouse are monogamous and breed in isolated pairs or in loose colonies with nests about six metres apart on the ground . courtship displays by male are simple . it holds the head low , with wings slightly away from the body , and the tail fanned out and raised . before mating , the male approaches its mate holding the legs very stiff and straight and the body erect .

benítez - lópez , a . casas , f . mougeot , f . garcía , j . t . martín , c . a . tatin , l . wolff , a . and viñuela , j . 2015 . individual traits and extrinsic factors influence survival of the threatened pin - tailed sandgrouse ( pterocles alchata ) in europe . biological conservation , vol . 187 , issue . , p . 192 .

a pin - tailed sandgrouse flew across the front of the hide and landed on the other side of a freshwater sluice , just a few meters away under the watchful eye of a slender - billed gull . a security guard who mans the hide had spotted it earlier and pointed it out , but at the time it was quite a long way off and in a small hollow , making it difficult to identify .

pin - tailed sangrouse adult male in breeding plumage has yellowish upperparts with cryptic pattern and yellow spots . rump and uppertail coverts are black , finely vermiculated creamy - white . the upperwing shows dark grey flight feathers . wings are long and pointed . the tail has long central rectrices , giving the bird its english name .

the breeding male pin - tailed sandgrouse has yellowish face , cheek , neck , throat and upper chest . the crown and upper back are brownish yellow . there are large golden yellow spots and streaks on the shoulder and back . a narrow black stripe starts from the base of the bill and extends through the eyes to half the way to the center of nape . there is a dark patch immediately below the bill .

english : saharan sandgrouse ; french : ganga tacheté ; german : wüstenflughuhn ; spanish : ganga moteada .

not many regularly occuring birds remain on my southern europe wish list now but of the lingerers , three – pin - tailed sandgrouse , rock sparrow and ( greater ) spotted eagle – all winter in provence . finding a £53 flight ( luggage included ) from lisbon to marseilles with the portuguese airline tap meant i could add a winter visit here to my algarve break . and so the opportunity to find these birds has arisen .

time budgets and activity patterns of sandgrouse were studied in semi - arid agricultural land in spain ( black - bellied and pin - tailed sandgrouse ) and in more desertic conditions in israel ( black - bellied and spotted sandgrouse ) . during c . 75 % of daylight hours , all four species were either foraging or inactive . the birds in israel spent more time foraging than those in spain , despite having lower thermoregulatory costs , reflecting a likely difference in the productivity of the sites . partitioning of foraging habitat was evident at both sites and , contrary to expectation , it was the larger black - bellied sandgrouse which spent the most time foraging . in israel , spotted sandgrouse became inactive at high temperatures whereas the black - bellied continued to forage , utilizing the shade available in its dwarf shrub foraging habitat . the range of black - bellied sandgrouse may be limited by its thermoregulatory ability in hot conditions and its need to forage for long periods .

the important bird and biodiversity areas ( iba ) of pin - tailed sandgrouse species in spain are ballobar - candasnos , bardenas reales , belchite - mediana , brozas - membrío , campo de montiel , cogul - alfés steppes , la serena , monegrillo - pina steppe area - pina , plain between cáceres and trujillo - aldea del cano , san clemente - villarrobledo , tembleque - la guardia plains , tierra de campiñas steppes , tordesillas - mota del marqués and villafáfila .

de juana , e . , kirwan , g . m . & martín , c . a . ( 2018 ) . pin - tailed sandgrouse ( pterocles alchata ) . in : del hoyo , j . , elliott , a . , sargatal , j . , christie , d . a . & de juana , e . ( eds . ) . handbook of the birds of the world alive . lynx edicions , barcelona . ( retrieved from urltoken on 9 july 2018 ) .

maclean , g . l . " evolutionary trends in the sandgrouse . " malimbus 6 ( 1984 ) : 75–78 .

the chestnut - bellied sandgrouse is classified as least concern ( lc ) on the iucn red list ( 1 ) .

" pterocliformes ( sandgrouse ) . " grzimek ' s animal life encyclopedia . . retrieved july 09 , 2018 from urltoken urltoken

behaviour : pin - tailed sandgrouse feeds on the ground , taking mainly seeds , and in less extent shoots and leaves . its preferred plants are leguminosae . when foraging in cultivated fields , it feeds on cereal grains and legumes . this bird drinks during the morning , and needs to drink regularly every day because its diet is particularly dry . it walks and runs easily and fast , thanks to the robust legs and the strong , short feet , with three front - toes and a small rudimentary raised hind - toe .

flight : pin - tailed sandgrouse has long , pointed wings and strong musculature , allowing the bird to spring up into the air vertically , and to maintain high speeds over long distances . the flight is strong , direct and sustained , with cruising speeds of about 60 - 70 km / hour , kept up over long distances . . the bird performs continuous wing - flapping , only gliding when about to land . take off is sudden , and when flying in flocks , they fly in close formation , maintaining their distances .

johnsgard , paul a . bustards , hemipodes , and sandgrouse : birds of dry places . oxford : oxford university press , 1991 .

kalchreuter , heribert . " the breeding season of the chestnut - bellied sandgrouse pterocles exustus and the black - faced sandgrouse p . decoratus in northern tanzania and its relation to rainfall . " proceedings of the 4th pan - african ornithological congress ( 1976 ) : 277–282 .

ferns pn , hinsley sa ( 1995 ) importance of topography in the selection of drinking sites by sandgrouse . funct ecol 9 : 371–375

the chestnut - bellied sandgrouse prefers to eat legumes such as beans , but also eats shoots and insects on rare occasions ( 2 ) .

although population numbers are unknown , there appear to be no major threats to the chestnut - bellied sandgrouse ( 1 ) ( 3 ) .

modelling sandgrouse ( pterocles spp . ) distributions and large - scale habitat requirements in spain : implications for conservation | environmental conservation | cambridge core

maclean , g . l . " field studies on the sandgrouse of the kalahari desert . " living bird 7 ( 1968 ) : 209–235 .

" pterocliformes ( sandgrouse ) . " grzimek ' s animal life encyclopedia . . encyclopedia . com . ( july 9 , 2018 ) . urltoken

the effects of european union agricultural regulations on this problem are discussed . the voluntary set - aside regulation , r . 797 / 85 / eec and 1094 / 88 / cee , has received very little acceptance . regulation r . 1765 / 92 / eec , compulsory withdrawal of cropland , involves the ploughing - up of fallows and thus the loss of an important habitat for both species , especially for pin - tailed sandgrouse . agri - environmental schemes linked to r . 2078 / 92 / eec potentially have the most positive effects , although it is still too early to evaluate their impact on bird populations .

the pin - tail sandgrouse , pterocles alchata , is a bird of the dry lands , inhabiting stony semi - desert and plain . the bird featured today is a female of the eastern race p . a . caudacutus which includes northern africa and the middle east within its range . it was introduced into uae . the nominate form can be seen in spain and southern france .

maclean , g . l . " sandgrouse : models of adaptive compromise . " south african journal of wildlife research 15 ( 1985 ) : 1–6 .

spotted sandgrouse – the commonest sandgrouse in the whole negev . the species used to occupy all the loess plains from the northern negev near bear sheva , to the uvda valley in the south , including parts of the arava . peak numbers at a specific drinking spot at nizzana have reached 5000 birds a day .

up until 30 years ago , birders visiting nizzana during each summer and autumn could have witnessed clouds of hundreds , or even thousands , of both spotted and black - bellied sandgrouses gathering to drink every morning . even i , who only started birding during the early 90 ' s , can ' t forget the amazing sight and sound of a noisy cloud of no less than 4200 pin - tailed sandgrouses performing their aerial maneuvers north of urim , the north - western negev , in december 1993 .

embed this arkive thumbnail link ( " portlet " ) by copying and pasting the code below . < a href = " urltoken " title = " arkive species - chestnut - bellied sandgrouse ( pterocles exustus ) " > < img src = " urltoken " alt = " arkive species - chestnut - bellied sandgrouse ( pterocles exustus ) " title = " arkive species - chestnut - bellied sandgrouse ( pterocles exustus ) " border = " 0 " / > < / a >

maclean , g . l . " adaptations of sandgrouse for life in arid lands . " proceedings of the 16th international ornithological congress ( 1974 ) : 502–516 .

in order to try to understand the sandgrouses ' s behavior and movement , the ioc , together with the inp , have launched a year - round monthly monitoring programme at four different drinking spots in the western negev and a 3 - monthly programme at another 11 drinking spots between arad in the judean desert and mitzpe ramon in the high negev mountains . in addition , a few spotted sandgrouses have been fitted with high - tech satellite transmitters , and the plan for the coming year is to do the same with some pin - tailed sandgrouses , whilst at a less sophisticated level , some clean water troughs will be scattered among the main sandgrouse concentration hot - spots .

wonderful images ! sandgrouse and the way they carry water back to their chicks were featured on the television series , earth 2 . i’d love to visit this hide .

sandgrouse occur from south africa and namibia through the drier parts of east africa to north africa , spain , the arabian peninsula , central asia , mongolia , and india .

simiyu , a . " some aspects of demography and movement patterns of sandgrouse in southern kenya . " ostrich 69 , no . 3 and 4 ( 1998 ) : 452 .

cade , t . j . , and g . l . maclean . " transport of water by adult sandgrouse to their young . " condor 69 ( 1967 ) : 323–343 .

the chestnut - bellied sandgrouse occurs along a narrow strip of sub - saharan africa , from the west coast to the east coast , where a larger distribution is found , as well as over much of india and pakistan . there are also scattered populations along the coasts of the middle east . the chestnut - bellied sandgrouse has also been introduced in the usa ( 1 ) .

sandgrouse are abundant throughout their distribution and are not in need of special conservation measures . however , where they are hunted for sport , the shooting season needs to be regulated to avoid overexploitation .

the resident pin - tailed sandgrouse had huge lifer status for the usual reason that i had not found the species on two previous visits to provence in may 2012 and march 2013 . doing so was my top priority this time . trip research had revealed a hitherto untried access point to la crau , at the north - western end near the town of st - martin - de - crau , that appeared to be a good pts location . this is the reserve peau de meau , managed by a regional association for nature conservation , ceep ( conservatoire etudes des ecosystemes de provence ) . after getting a permit dutifully from ceep’s ecomusee de la crau in saint - martin , i arrived on site late on wednesday morning ( 20th ) , having first seen to buying provisions . stomach again , call myself a birder ?

sandgrouse are known as fossils of the genus archaeoganga from the upper eocene of france , some 35 million years ago , one species of which is estimated to have been about three times the size of the largest living sandgrouse species , weighing perhaps 3 lb ( nearly 1 . 5 kg ) . other fossil genera occur into the lower miocene , about 20 million years ago . the general consensus , based on morphological , behavioral , and chromosomal evidence , is that sandgrouse are derived from the shorebirds ( order charadriiformes ) and are sometimes grouped in that order under the suborder pterocli . however , even the earliest fossil sandgrouse show marked divergence from the ancestral shorebird . they are no longer regarded as closely related to doves and pigeons ( order columbiformes ) , with which they were placed for many years .

in many parts of their range , sandgrouse are considered good eating and are hunted at watering points . because most species inhabit remote areas , they generally suffer little human disturbance away from their drinking places .

first , away to my left four little bustard went up before seemingly vanishing into thin air . quite an achievement for such a large bird but a not unusual experience for the species . that also maintained my 100 % record for it at this site . then away on my other side , five pin - tailed sandgrouse at last flew across the sunny morning expanse of the coussoul . mission accomplished ! the middle distance flight view was pretty much what i had expected . i have seen some good birds in the past at la crau : little bustard , stone curlew , red - backed shrike , tawny pipit , melodious warbler and a possible spotted eagle that i didn’t put on my life list . now having gained the elusive top prize i felt very relieved not to have to re - visit this flat and otherwise dour landscape unless i choose to .

most desert - adapted sandgrouse . normally in pairs or small groups by day , gathering into larger flocks at dusk to fly to water . lands a few yards from water , then runs down to drink .

thomas , d . h . " adaptations of desert birds : sandgrouse ( pteroclididae ) as highly successful inhabitants of afro - asian arid lands . " journal of arid environments 7 ( 1984 ) : 157–181 .

sandgrouse are the most terrestrial of birds , feeding , roosting , and nesting on the ground . they fly to water almost every day , covering up to about 75 mi ( 120 km ) round - trip ,

kidney structure is especially well adapted to water conservation ; water - carrying capacity of male ' s belly plumage is greatest for any sandgrouse studied . largely nocturnal , roosting by day in shade of rocks or plants .

del hoyo , j . , elliott , a . and christie , d . a . ( 1997 ) handbook of the birds of the world . volume 13 : sandgrouse to cuckoos . lynx edicions , barcelona .

enly becomes a glorified and distant memory . due to reasons not yet fully understood , the populations of three of the four sandgrouse species of the negev desert have shrunk by an order of magnitude within a decade .

crowned sandgrouse – widespread but uncommon . its range varies from uvda valley in the south to nizzana – wadi zin line in the north . reported regularly also in the arava valley from yahel to hazeva . even at major drinking spots numbers range from 10 to 100 birds at most . although scarce , this species seems to have suffered the least from population decrease or habitat loss , compared with other species of sandgrouse in israel .

lloyd , penn , et al . " rainfall and food availability as factors influencing the migration and breeding activity of namaqua sandgrouse pterocles namaqua . " ostrich 72 , no . 1 and 2 ( 2001 ) : 50–62 .

de juana e ( 1997 ) family pteroclidae ( sandgrouse ) . in : del hoyo a , elliot a , sargatal j ( eds ) handbook of the birds of the world . lynx edicions , barcelona , pp 30–59

mougeot f , benítez–lópez a , casas f et al ( 2014 ) a temperature - based monitoring of nest attendance patterns and disturbance effects during incubation by ground - nesting sandgrouse . j arid environ 102 : 89–97 . doi :

are threatened in spain , the stronghold of european populations . spatial modelling was used to : ( 1 ) assess the relative importance of abiotic , anthropogenic and geographical factors in the distribution of both sandgrouse species , ( 2 ) determine the most important anthropogenic predictors for each species occurrence , and ( 3 ) identify areas where conservation efforts should be prioritized . abiotic and anthropogenic factors explained most of the variation in sandgrouse distributions . both species were associated with arid flatlands , arable land cover being the most important anthropogenic variable determining their distribution . the common agricultural policy ( cap ) is the main driver of agricultural management in europe , and may thus have a direct effect on sandgrouse distributions .

benítez - lópez , a . 2014 . ecology and conservation of iberian sandgrouse : a multiscalar approach - ecología y conservación de pteróclidos ibéricos : una aproximación multiescalar . phd dissertation . university of castilla - la mancha , uclm , spain .

benítez - lópez a , viñuela j , hervás i et al ( 2014 ) modelling sandgrouse ( pterocles spp . ) distributions and large - scale habitat requirements in spain : implications for conservation . environ conserv 41 : 132–143 . doi :

although perhaps rather plain in appearance , the plumage of the chestnut - bellied sandgrouse ( pterocles exustus ) is in fact wonderful camouflage against the sand of its arid habitats . a somewhat small , plump bird , the chestnut - bellied sandgrouse has an unmarked head , dark under - wings , a blackish lower - belly , and a chestnut upper - belly , after which it is named . the dark - tipped bill is slate - blue , and there is a pale green circle around the eyes . the male chestnut - bellied sandgrouse is somewhat drabber than the female , with a pale brown back and a narrow chest band , compared to the female’s more elaborate , mottled back of tan , brown and dark brown . the juvenile lacks the elongated tail feathers of the adult bird , and has more densely barred upperparts . six subspecies of the chestnut - bellied sandgrouse are currently recognised , and these vary mainly in the colouration of the upperparts ( 2 ) .

sandgrouse probably evolved in the arid zone of north africa and the middle east , spreading to southern africa and central asia . they are more closely associated with the afro - asian deserts than any other family of birds . the 14 species of the genus pterocles retain a rudimentary hind toe ; this toe has been lost in the two species of syrrhaptes that are likely to be more recent offshoots of the ancestral sandgrouse stock . four species of sandgrouse ( lichtenstein ' s , double - banded , four - banded , and painted ) share the habit of crepuscular or nocturnal drinking and may constitute a separate genus ( or at least a subgenus ) nyctiperdix on the basis of this and the possession of a strongly barred abdomen in both sexes .

maclean , g . l . , and c . h . fry . " pteroclidae , sandgrouse . " in the birds of africa , vol . 2 . , edited by emil k . urban , et al . london : academic press , 1986 .

) is estimated to be around 170000 to 250000 individual birds . the overall population size is considered to be stable . the modern agricultural practices are degrading the habitat of these sandgrouse species and threaten their survival . their generation length is 5 . 6 years .

the chestnut - bellied sandgrouse inhabits a range of environments , including shrubland , semi - desert scattered with thorny shrubs or trees , arable land and grassland ( 1 ) ( 2 ) , up to altitudes of 1 , 500 metres ( 1 ) ( 3 ) .

sandgrouse feed almost exclusively on small seeds picked up from the surface of the soil ; the birds also use their bills to flick loose sand sideways to uncover buried seed . because of the dry diet , they must drink often , especially in hot weather when drinking may occur daily . most species drink an hour or two after sunrise , but some drink only at dusk or at night . sandgrouse drink by dipping the bill , sucking a draft of water , and raising the head to swallow , taking several drafts at each bout of drinking .

lloyd , penn , et al . " the population dynamics of the namaqua sandgrouse : implications for gamebird management in an arid , stochastic environment . " proceedings of the 22nd international ornithological congress , durban , south africa . compact disk . johannesburg : birdlife south africa , 1999 .

depending on the location of feeding areas . all species are gregarious , except when breeding : flocks may number hundreds or thousands of birds . they call to each other in flight and sometimes when flocking on the ground . adaptations of sandgrouse to arid zones include : seeking shade in hot conditions , flying and feeding in the cooler hours of the day , insulation against overheating by dense plumage , and huddling together under extreme conditions . some species of sandgrouse also may limit their frequency of drinking to conserve energy , though this may not be possible in hot conditions .

benítez - lópez , a . , viñuela , j . , suárez , f . , hervás , i . & garcía , j . t . 2014 . niche - habitat mechanisms and biotic interactions explain the coexistence and abundance of congeneric sandgrouse species . oecologia 176 , 193 - 206 .

sandgrouse are stocky terrestrial birds with dense , beautifully camouflaged plumage . they are covered with an underdown even between the main feather tracts . their lower legs are feathered in front in the genus pterocles , whereas the whole lower leg and the toes are feathered in syrrhaptes , possibly as an adaptation to cold climates . despite their short legs , sandgrouse walk and run well . the nostrils of all species are covered with fine feathers . their wings are long and pointed , giving them exceptional powers of flight . the sexes differ markedly in plumage pattern , the females being more cryptically colored than the males .

feathers at a drinking place and flies back to the chicks , which take the water from his plumage . this method of providing the chicks with water is unique among birds . sandgrouse young fly at about four to five weeks , after which they accompany their parents on flights to the watering hole .

casas , fabián benítez - lópez , ana garcía , jesús t . martín , carlos a . viñuela , javier mougeot , francois and marsden , stuart 2015 . assessing the short - term effects of capture , handling and tagging of sandgrouse . ibis , vol . 157 , issue . 1 , p . 115 .

casas , f . , benítez - lópez , a . , garcía , j . t . , martín , c . a . , viñuela , j . & mougeot , f . 2015 . assessing the short - term effects of capture , handling and tagging of sandgrouse . ibis 157 , 115 - 124 .

benítez - lópez , a . , viñuela , j . , hervás , i . , suárez , f . & garcía , j . t . 2014 . modelling sandgrouse ( pterocles spp . ) distributions and large - scale habitat requirements in spain : implications for conservation . environmental conservation 41 : 132 - 143 .

mougeot , f . , benítez - lópez , a . , casas , f . , garcía , j . t . & viñuela , j . 2014 . a temperature - based monitoring of nest attendance patterns and disturbance effects during incubation by ground - nesting sandgrouse . journal of arid environments 102 , 89 - 97 .

when a predator is detected , rather than fleeing and risk giving away its location , the chestnut - bellied sandgrouse sits still and relies on its wonderfully camouflaged plumage to conceal itself . it tends to live in small , scattered groups to reduce its visibility except for times when it gathers in often large numbers around watering holes ( 4 ) .

something strikes me as i write ; the sluice was opened up and freshwater was allowed to flow just as the bird arrived . sandgrouse are generally noted for visiting water in the early morning , late evening or nocturnally . this occurred close to midday . i wonder if the sluice is opened at the same time each day and she timed her arrival . another thought ; the tide had just turned . was the sluice closed to prevent salt water flowing upstream ? if so the sluice would be operational at a different time each day depending on the time that the tide receded below the sluice gate . what do desert - dwelling sandgrouse know of tides , i wonder ? this is simply musing unless anyone knows any better ?

the timing of breeding in the chestnut - bellied sandgrouse is heavily influenced by the level of local rainfall , but generally occurs sometime between january and july , except in kenya and tanzania where the breeding season is more lengthy , ranging from february until november ( 2 ) . the chestnut - bellied sandgrouse may produce two clutches a year , the nest being a simple scrape in the ground , holding three eggs per clutch ( 4 ) , with both the male and female birds incubating the eggs ( 5 ) . the chicks are active from hatching , soon foraging for food with the adult birds ( 4 ) , but are unable to fly large distances and so must rely on the adults for water . at a water hole , the adult birds soak up water in the breast feathers before returning to the nest to “water” the chicks - a unique feature of the sandgrouse family . adult birds can fly distances of up to 16 kilometres per day to find water , gathering in large flocks to drink a couple of hours after sunrise , and on very hot days at sundown ( 6 ) .

these sandgrouse species are sexually dimorphic . the males are larger than the females and have brighter plumage in the breeding season . the males weigh 250 to 400 grams whereas the females weigh 200 to 370 grams . the wingspan is 55 to 65 cm . the central rectrices ( central tail streamers ) are long , stiff and pointed . the central rectrices are longer in males .

benítez - lópez , a . , mougeot , f . , martín , c . a . , casas , f . , calero - riestra , m . , garcía , j . t . & viñuela , j . 2011 . an improved night - lighting technique for the selective capture of sandgrouse and other steppe birds . european journal of wildlife research 57 , 389 - 393 .

; the latter species tolerates warmer climates . consequently , the network of core and marginally suitable areas identified for each species differs , and connectivity between the populations of these areas seems unlikely . potential future changes in sandgrouse distribution will probably be directed principally by the synergistic effects of climate change and expected land - use transformations resulting from the new cap and ongoing population growth , urbanization and infrastructure development .

sandgrouse will often arrive at a waterhole in large groups that form en - route . in company , there would be many eyes to keep watch for the local greater spotted eagles and other predators . they can drink their fill quickly by tipping their heads back , allowing the water to flow into their crops , but on her own she had to keep returning to the top of the bank between sips to maintain a look - out .

about 9 . 8 in ( 25 cm ) ; 6 . 2–8 . 8 oz ( 175–250 g ) . smallish , without elongated , central tail feathers . both sexes strongly barred black on buff above and below ; male distinguished by black - and - white forehead pattern , yellow bill , and two broad breast - bands of buff , each bordered black below . downy chick , unusual in being almost plain brown ; other sandgrouse chicks boldly patterned above .

sandgrouse are famed for having breast feathers that can absorb water which is carried back to chicks in their waterless habitat . they are noted for flying many miles to a freshwater source to provide water for their young . in keeping with most of the species in the genera , it is only the male that carries water . he will take over parenting duties while the female fends for herself . so it was with a sense of something missing that i watched her take a drink .

black - bellied sandgrouse – this species dominated hilly habitats within the central negev mountains , nizzana area , the northern negev and judean desert . while historic peak numbers at a drinking pool at nizzana exceeded 2000 birds , current numbers struggle to reach 300 at most within the same region . in other parts of the negev there has been no big change in distribution though numbers have diminished . at a local level , the species has disappeared from specific locations where it was once regular .

gregarious in flocks of up to about 60 , but birds congregate to drink at watering sites in flocks of several hundred about two hours after sunrise . some birds may drink again in evening . birds call to each other with a bubbling sound . in egypt , may gather with flocks of crowned sandgrouse ( pterocles coronatus ) to feed on grain spilled by trucks traveling from nile to red sea ports . nonbreeding flocks roost on ground in open desert , each bird making a shallow scrape .

long central rectrices , underwing and belly white . 30 = 39 cm , 210 - 400 g , wingspan 55 - 65 cm . broad chestnut band on breast , bordered with black lines . bill bluish grey - horn , orbital ring blue . female duller , and has additional black line on neck . exceptionally among sandgrouse , a non - breeding plumage exists in male , showing white throat , black eyestripe reduced or absent , and dorsal parts barred , without yellow spots . race caudacutus paler , with longer wings .

my base is the cheap and cheerful , self catering top motel in istres . i find this arrangement ideal because french breakfasts aren’t worth their cost and evening meals also become more affordable . then there is the essential of tea and coffee whenever i want one , that isn’t possible in a budget chain hotel unless a kettle is smuggled in . oh , and this establishment in a secure compound behind the 3 - star ariane hotel is also hard by the plaine de la crau sandgrouse site , and conveniently placed to visit birding sites in les alpilles and la camargue .

sandgrouse are monogamous , solitary nesters , though nests may be fairly close together , giving the appearance of a loose colony . the nest is a shallow scrape , often under a plant , but also in the open ; it is usually lined with fragments of soil , stone , or plants . clutches usually contain three rather elongated , spotted eggs . each clutch is incubated by the female during the day and by the male at night , at least in those species which have been studied . the chicks hatch after about 21–31 days , depending on the species . they feed themselves but are given water by the male parent , which soaks his belly

about 15 in ( 39 cm ) ; female 10 . 6–16 . 4 oz ( 300–465 g ) , male 14 . 1–19 . 4 oz ( 400–550 g ) . largest sandgrouse ; robustly built , without elongated , central tail feathers . male rust - colored buff above , mottled grayish on back and wings ; throat a bright rusty color with triangular black patch ; breast gray , bordered with narrow , black band and broad , pinkish band ; belly black . female similar to male but less strongly tinged rust coloring ; lacks rust coloring and black on throat ; breast spotted black ; narrow black collar on throat and below breast . underwing white in both sexes .

mainly on lowland plains , including baked mud on dried - out marshes by tidal water on spanish marismas , stony hammada on desert edge , and bare clay expanses alternating with sand , as well as dusty or sunbaked flats and sand - dunes . often on infertile areas of dry cultivation , or near irrigation ditches . inhabits areas of scattered tamarisk and other bushes , but avoids trees and scrubland , and rocky broken terrain . like other sandgrouse , unable to exist far from water , essential not only for adults but for carrying in soaked belly feathers to chicks , in regular social flights . will drink brackish water in absence of fresh , and will not only wade but alight on river far from shore , floating high like gull and taking off without difficulty .

peau de meau has a 5km waymarked trail around it’s perimeter , but first i set off in the car along a rough track for some distance beyond the reserve . after all i had been wanting to do that for the past three years and there was nobody there to stop me . seeing only pipits , skylarks and corvids i returned to walk the full distance of the trail , but still no sandgrouse . so i applied my usual solution to a no show , deciding to return early the next day . but first i took another drive through the rough roads of la crau eventually reaching the n508 road that runs north - west between the plaine and the neighbouring camargue . guess what ? at track’s end was a roadside notice proclaiming access to this military land is prohibited . oh well !


epicallima argenticinctella , the orange-headed epicallima moth , is a moth of the oecophoridae family .

it is found in north america , where it has been recorded from nova scotia to south carolina , west to kansas and texas .

the habitat consists of deciduous forests .

the wingspan is 10-13 mm .

the forewings are yellowish-orange with a silvery black-margined line along the basal margin from the fold to the basal angle .

there is a similar line from the basal third of the inner margin to the costa .

the basal area between these lines is deep reddish orange .

the hindwings are fuscous .

adults are on wing from april to october .

epicallima argenticinctella

epicallima argenticinctella <EOT> species epicallima argenticinctella - orange - headed epicallima - hodges # 1046 - bugguide . net

epicallima argenticinctella ( fig . 2 ) likewise is a common species in deciduous forest , where the adult sometimes is abundant at uv light .

orange - banded epicallima moth in montgomery co . , maryland ( 6 / 25 / 2009 ) . photo by ashley bradford . ( mbp list )

orange - banded epicallima moth in howard co . , maryland ( 7 / 29 / 2014 ) . photo by nancy magnusson . ( mbp list )

an orange - banded epicallima moth in baltimore city , maryland ( 7 / 23 / 2015 ) . photo by thomas wilson . ( mbp list )

orange - banded epicallima moth in baltimore co . , maryland ( 7 / 12 / 2014 ) . photo by emily stanley . ( mbp list )

an orange - banded epicallima moth in frederick co . , maryland ( 7 / 14 / 2017 ) . photo by mark etheridge . ( mbp list )

an orange - banded epicallima moth in garrett co . , maryland ( 7 / 21 / 2014 ) . photo by mike burchett . ( mbp list )

an orange - banded epicallima moth in harford co . , maryland ( 6 / 16 / 2018 ) . photo by josh emm . ( mbp list )

an orange - banded epicallima moth in harford co . , maryland ( 8 / 15 / 2015 ) . photo by dave webb . ( mbp list )

an orange - banded epicallima moth in harford co . , maryland ( 7 / 21 / 2014 ) . photo by mike burchett . ( mbp list )

an orange - banded epicallima moth in dorchester co . , maryland ( 6 / 7 / 2015 ) . photo by jonathan willey . ( mbp list )

an orange - banded epicallima moth in worcester co . , maryland ( 6 / 10 / 2013 ) . photo by scott housten . ( mbp list )

an orange - banded epicallima moth in allegany co . , maryland ( 6 / 25 / 2013 ) . photo by mike burchett . ( mbp list )

an orange - banded epicallima moth in frederick co . , maryland ( 7 / 30 / 2016 ) . photo by mark etheridge . ( mbp list )

an orange - banded epicallima moth in worcester co . , maryland ( 6 / 11 / 2013 ) . photo by mike burchett . ( mbp list )

an orange - banded epicallima moth in howard co . , maryland ( 7 / 24 / 2015 ) . photo by nancy magnusson . ( mbp list )

an orange - banded epicallima moth in howard co . , maryland ( 8 / 7 / 2017 ) . photo by anthony vanschoor . ( mbp list )

an orange - banded epicallima moth in anne arundel co . , maryland ( 6 / 30 / 2018 ) . photo by bill hubick . ( mbp list )

an orange - banded epicallima moth in anne arundel co . , maryland ( 7 / 5 / 2014 ) . photo by hans holbrook . ( mbp list )

an orange - banded epicallima moth in anne arundel co . , maryland ( 6 / 6 / 2015 ) . photo by judy gallagher . ( mbp list )

an orange - banded epicallima moth in frederick co . , maryland ( 6 / 25 / 2016 ) . determined by roger downer / bamona . photo by mark etheridge . ( mbp list )

an orange - banded epicallima moth in frederick co . , maryland ( 7 / 17 / 2016 ) . verified by roger downer / bamona . photo by mark etheridge . ( mbp list )

an orange - banded epicallima moth in cecil co . , maryland ( 6 / 6 / 2015 ) . verified by roger downer / bamona . photo by shannon schade . ( mbp list )

html public " - / / w3c / / dtd xhtml 1 . 0 transitional / / en " " urltoken "

upcoming events 2018 bugguide gathering in virginia july 27 - 29 : registration and discussion photos of insects and people from the 2015 gathering in wisconsin , july 10 - 12 photos of insects and people from the 2014 gathering in virginia , june 4 - 7 . photos of insects and people from the 2013 gathering in arizona , july 25 - 28 photos of insects and people from the 2012 gathering in alabama photos of insects and people from the 2011 gathering in iowa photos from the 2010 workshop in grinnell , iowa photos from the 2009 gathering in washington

the flight period appears to be april to october with the peak in july and august .

clemens , b . 1860 . contributions to american lepidopterology - no . 4 . proceedings of the academy of natural sciences of philadelphia 12 : 166 - 167

. e . w . classey ltd . and rbd publications inc . p . 110 ; plate 7 , figs . 10 - 11 .

the moths of america north of mexico fascicle 6 . 2 gelechioidea , oecophoridae ronald w . hodges . 1974 . e . w . classey ltd . and rbd publications inc .

disclaimer : dedicated naturalists volunteer their time and resources here to provide this service . we strive to provide accurate information , but we are mostly just amateurs attempting to make sense of a diverse natural world . if you need expert professional advice , contact your local extension office .

contributors own the copyright to and are solely responsible for contributed content . click the contributor ' s name for licensing and usage information . everything else copyright © 2003 - 2018 iowa state university , unless otherwise noted .

photographs are the copyrighted property of each photographer listed . contact individual photographers for permission to use for any purpose .

hodges , r . w . , 1974 . moths of america north of mexico , fascicle 6 . 2 , p . 110 ; pl . 7 . 10 - 11 . order

the present concept of oecophoridae is restricted to this group , as defined on basis of the genus oecophora . larvae of nearctic species usually are found in dead wood , where they probably feed on fungus . little is known of the specific habits of these larvae , and some of the species apparently never have been reared . adults are small moths , some species of which are rather brightly colored . not surprisingly , given the larval habits , they are most commonly collected in deciduous forest .

for information on the genera idioglossa ( one native species ) and stathmopoda ( two native and one introduced species ) , which were listed under oecophoridae in the 1983 checklist , see the page on batrachedridae .

decantha boreasella ( fig . 1 ) is sometimes abundant at uv light in deciduous forest in late june .

fabiola edithella ( fig . 3 ) generally is seen less frequently than the previous two species , but in areas where populations occur , it can be locally common . the adult has the noticeable habit of flying during the 15 minutes or so immediately before the first light of dawn ( j . wiker , pers . comm . ) . it is collected most frequently in late june .

mathildana newmanella ( fig . 4 ) is found in deciduous forest ; in central illinois , the adult flight period begins in late may .

eido trimaculella ( fig . 5 ) , like mathildana newmanella , occurs as an adult in deciduous forest beginning in late may .

busck , a . 1908 . a generic revision of american moths of the family oecophoridae , with descriptions of new species . proceedings of the united states national museum 35 : 187 - 204

phylogeny and feeding trait evolution of the mega - diverse gelechioidea ( lepidoptera : obtectomera ) . . .

by sohn , j . c . , j . c . regier , c . mitter , d . adamski , j . f . landry , m . heikkilä , k . t . park , t . harrison , k . mitter , a . zwick , a . y . kaw

sohn , j . c . , j . c . regier , c . mitter , d . adamski , j . f . landry , m . heikkilä , k . t . park , t . harrison , k . mitter , a . zwick , a . y . kawahara , s . cho , m . p . cummings & p . schmitz , 2016 . phylogeny and feeding trait evolution of the mega - diverse gelechioidea ( lepidoptera : obtectomera ) : new insight from 19 nuclear genes . systematic entomology , 41 ( 1 ) : 112–132 . abstract and link to fee based access here . cite : 1412991

descriptions of new species , including : isophrictis occidentalis , aristotelia amelanchierella , aristotelia planitia , gnorimoschema consueta , gnorimoschema macromaculata , gelechia fructuaria , gelechia prognosticata , brachmia casca . available online ( requires jstor access ) here

by heikkilä , m . , mutanen , m . , kekkonen , m . and kaila , l .

heikkilä , m . , m . mutanen , m . kekkonen & l . kaila , 2014 [ 2013 ] , morphology reinforces proposed molecular phylogenetic affinities : a revised classification for gelechioidea ( lepidoptera ) . cladistics , 30 : 563–589 . doi : 10 . 1111 / cla . 12064

as of 2015 , this was the most current revision of gelechioidea . a summary of the revision is found on p . 585 . as of 2016 , the phylogeny of gelechioidea remains in flux with a paper published by sohn et al . ( 2016 )

two new species of coniferous needle miners from louisiana and the description of a new genus ( lepidoptera : gelechiidae ) .

contributed by maury j . heiman on 2 october , 2014 - 12 : 44am

kaila , l . 1995 . a review of coelopoeta ( elachistidae ) , with descriptions of two new species . journal of the lepidopterists ' society 49 ( 2 ) : 171 - 178

contributed by maury j . heiman on 10 may , 2014 - 8 : 55pm

each antenna ringed with black and white scales . forewing orange , including fringe ; lines white , edged with black . note white reniform spot at costa . brown basal patch , rounded patch along inner margin near anal angle , and mixed brown and white shade in st . area . hindwing gray .

larva has been reared on corn plants ; found under bark of elm trees in the wild .

use of images featured on maryland biodiversity project is only permitted with express permission of the photographer .


the saddle butterflyfish , chaetodon ephippium , is a species of butterflyfish ( family chaetodontidae ) .

it is found in the indian and pacific oceans from sri lanka and the cocos-keeling islands to the hawaiian , marquesan and tuamoto islands , north to southern japan , south to rowley shoals and new south wales in australia .

it is a large butterflyfish , at up to 30 cm ( nearly 12 in ) long together with the lined butterflyfish ( c. lineolatus ) the giant among its genus .

in shape it resembles certain angelfishes more than most of its relatives .

the overall color is yellowish grey , with a large black spot bordered below by a broad white band on the back and wavy blue lines on the lower sides .

the throat and the outline of the hind parts is bright yellow .

adults have a filament extending posteriorly from the upper part of the soft portion of the dorsal fin .

the saddle butterflyfish is found at depths between 0 and 30 m in coral reefs .

it feeds on filamentous algae , small invertebrates , coral polyps , and fish eggs .

it belongs to the large subgenus rabdophorus which might warrant recognition as a distinct genus .

in this group , it appears to represent a distinct lineage , with the dotted butterflyfish ( c. semeion ) perhaps the only somewhat closely related species .

next closest seems to be a group including the black-backed butterflyfish ( c. melannotus ) , spot-tailed butterflyfish ( c. ocellicaudus ) and yellow-dotted butterflyfish ( c. selene ) , but these are already so distant that their ancestors must have diverged from the saddle butterflyfish 's soon after the rabdophorus lineage started to diversify .

saddle butterflyfish

saddle butterflyfish <EOT> saddle butterflyfish , chaetodon ephippium , in timor leste . source : nick hobgood / wikimedia commons . license : cc by attribution - sharealike

the saddle butterflyfish can be recognised by the large white - bordered black area on the upper side below the dorsal fin . the species occurs in marine tropical waters of the western and central pacific .

therefore it is important to choose the correct species in relation to the corals wanted , if one desires to keep butterflyfish in a coral - aquarium . bristleworms , tubeworms and other small invertebrates are also a part of the diet for many butterflyfish .

the saddle butterflyfish can be recognised by the large white - bordered black area on the upper side below the dorsal fin . the body is grey with blue - grey stripes across the lower sides . the breast and snout are yellow . adults have a filament extending from the back of the dorsal fin .

the saddle butterflyfish owes its name to the large dark spot delimited by a wide white band that it exhibits near the dorsal fin , on its greyish - yellow body . it occurs in lagoons and reefs up to 30 metres in depth , and prefers coral - rich areas . juveniles are solitary and , during the breeding season , they find a mate which they keep for several years .

they ignore most other fish and are generally peaceful , therefore multiple butterflyfish will have no problem living together . one should however be cautious about keeping similar species together unless they are a couple .

a bluish - grey butterflyfish with a large black patch bordered in white on the upper rear of the body , blue lines on the lower sides , and an orange area from snout to breast .

ningaloo reef to dampier archipelago , rowley shoals and scott reef , western australia , ashmore reef , timor sea , and the northern great barrier reef , queensland , and reefs in the coral sea to wollongong , new south wales ; also the lord howe island region , tasman sea , and cocos ( keeling ) islands and christmas island , indian ocean . elsewhere , the saddle butterflyfish occurs in the tropical indo - pacific . inhabits rich coral areas in lagoons and seaward reefs .

the butterflyfish are known for their attractive patterns and colours . they are closely related to angelfishs , but can always be distinguished , as they lack the spines on each side of the head of the angelfish .

a smaller group of these fish will seek out primairily soft corals , like zoanthus . a larger part of the species will target different types of lps corals . butterflyfish are also known to seek out anemones , tubeworms and bristleworms .

html public " - / / w3c / / dtd xhtml 1 . 0 strict / / en " " urltoken "

thank you for taking the time to provide feedback on the iucn red list of threatened species website , we are grateful for your input .

gland , switzerland , 5 july 2018 ( iucn ) – australia’s unique reptiles – including lizards and snakes – face severe threats from invasive species and climate change , with 7 % of th . . .

the value of medicinal and aromatic plant trade has increased three - fold in the past 20 years , but traditional harvesting practices are being replaced by less sustainable alternatives . . . .

a recently released iucn technical brief recommends increasing investments in sustainable land management practices , as well as better cooperation between agriculturalists and conservationists to conse . . .

greek , chaite = hair + greek , odous = teeth ( ref . 45335 )

marine ; reef - associated ; depth range 0 - 30 m ( ref . 1602 ) . tropical ; 30°n - 30°s , 79°e - 130°w

indo - pacific : sri lanka ( ref . 10361 ) and cocos - keeling islands to the hawaiian , marquesan and tuamoto islands , north to southern japan , south to rowley shoals and new south wales , australia .

maturity : l m ? range ? - ? cm max length : 30 . 0 cm tl male / unsexed ; ( ref . 559 )

dorsal spines ( total ) : 12 - 14 ; dorsal soft rays ( total ) : 21 - 25 ; anal spines : 3 ; anal soft rays : 20 - 23 .

occur in lagoons and seaward reefs to a depth of 30 m , prefer coral - rich and clear water areas ( ref . 205 ) . benthopelagic ( ref . 58302 ) . encountered singly , in pairs or small groups ( adults often in pairs ; juveniles solitary and inshore ) . feed on filamentous algae , small invertebrates , coral polyps , and fish eggs . oviparous ( ref . 205 ) . form pairs during breeding ( ref . 205 ) .

distinct pairing ( ref . 205 ) . monogamous mating is observed as both obligate and social ( ref . 52884 ) .

myers , r . f . , 1991 . micronesian reef fishes . second ed . coral graphics , barrigada , guam . 298 p . ( ref . 1602 )

phylogenetic diversity index ( ref . 82805 ) : pd 50 = 0 . 5000 [ uniqueness , from 0 . 5 = low to 2 . 0 = high ] .

bayesian length - weight : a = 0 . 02239 ( 0 . 01381 - 0 . 03628 ) , b = 3 . 02 ( 2 . 88 - 3 . 16 ) , in cm total length , based on lwr estimates for this species & genus - body shape ( ref . 93245 ) .

trophic level ( ref . 69278 ) : 3 . 0 ±0 . 43 se ; based on food items .

resilience ( ref . 69278 ) : high , minimum population doubling time less than 15 months ( preliminary k or fecundity . ) .

vulnerability ( ref . 59153 ) : low vulnerability ( 23 of 100 ) .

it occurs in marine tropical waters of the western and central pacific . in australia it is known from the central coast of western australia , around the tropical north and south to the northern coast of new south wales .

the map below shows the australian distribution of the species based on public sightings and specimens in australian museums . click on the map for detailed information . source : atlas of living australia .

allen , g . r . 1997 . marine fishes of tropical australia and south - east asia . western australian museum . pp . 292 .

allen , g . r . , steene , r . & m . allen . 1998 . a guide to angelfishes & butterflyfishes . odyssey publishing / tropical reef research . pp . 250 .

allen , g . r . & r . swainston . 1988 . the marine fishes of north - western australia . a field guide for anglers and divers . western australian museum . pp . 201 .

hutchins , b . & r . swainston . 1986 . sea fishes of southern australia . complete field guide for anglers and divers . swainston publishing . pp . 180 .

kuiter , r . h . 1996 . guide to sea fishes of australia . new holland . pp . 433 .

kuiter , r . h . 2000 . coastal fishes of south - eastern australia . gary allen . pp . 437 .

randall , j . e . , allen , g . r . & r . c . steene . 1997 . fishes of the great barrier reef and coral sea . crawford house press . pp . 557 .

adults are distinguished from juveniles by a filament extending from the rear part of the dorsal fin .

sri lanka and cocos - keeling islands to the hawaiian , marquesan and tuamoto islands ; north to southern japan ; south to rowley shoals and new south wales , australia .

dianne j . bray & audrey s . thompson , chaetodon ephippium in fishes of australia , accessed 10 jul 2018 , urltoken

feeds on coral polyps , algae , sponges , fish eggs and benthic invertebrates .

chaetodon ephippium cuvier , 1831 , hist . nat . poiss . 7 : 80 . type locality : bora bora ; moluccas .

. christmas island : christmas island natural history association 2 edn , 284 pp .

the marine fishes of north - western australia . a field guide for anglers and divers .

perth , wa : western australian museum vi 201 pp . , 70 pls .

. new jersey : t . f . h . publications inc . 832 pp . figs .

cuvier , g . l . in cuvier , g . l . & valenciennes , a . 1831 .

. paris : levrault vol . 7 531 pp . pls 170 - 208 .

hobbs , j - p . a . , newman , s . j . , mitsopoulos , g . e . a . , travers , m . j . , skepper , c . l . , gilligan , j . j . , allen , g . r . , choat , h . j . & ayling , a . m . 2014 . checklist and new records of christmas island fishes : the influence of isolation , biogeography and habitat availability on species abundance and community composition .

hobbs , j - p . a . , newman , s . j . , mitsopoulos , g . e . a . , travers , m . j . , skepper , c . l . , gilligan , j . j . , allen , g . r . , choat , h . j . & ayling , a . m . 2014 . fishes of the cocos ( keeling ) islands : new records , community composition and biogeographic significance .

johnson , j . w . 2010 . fishes of the moreton bay marine park and adjacent continental shelf waters , queensland , australia . pp . 299 - 353 in davie , p . j . f . & phillips , j . a . proceedings of the thirteenth international marine biological workshop , the marine fauna and flora of moreton bay .

guide to sea fishes of australia . a comprehensive reference for divers and fishermen .

oxley , w . g . , ayling , a . m . , cheal , a . j . & osborne , k . 2004 . marine surveys undertaken in the elizabeth and middleton reefs marine national nature reserve , december 2003 . townsville : australian institute of marine sciences 64 pp .

pratchett , m . s . 2005 . dietary overlap among coral - feeding butterflyfishes ( chaetodontidae ) at lizard island , northern great barrier reef .

pratchett , m . s . & berumen , m . l . 2008 . interspecific variation in ditributions and diets of coral reef butterflyfishes ( teleostei : chaetodontidae ) .

pyle , r . 2001 . chaetodontidae , pomacanthidae . pp . 3224 - 3286 in carpenter , k . e . & niem , v . h . ( eds ) .

the living marine resources of the western central pacific . fao species identification guide for fisheries purposes .

from the day we opened the first store in maidenhead , we’ve firmly believed that one key to our success is employing fish keepers .

not recommended . will pick on anemones , mushroom corals , stony corals , tubeworms , and other small invertebrates .

if you have images for this taxon that you would like to share with atlas of living australia , please upload using the upload tools .

yearsley , g . k . , last , p . r . & morris , g . b . 1997 , " codes for australian aquatic biota ( caab ) : an upgraded and expanded species coding system for australian fisheries databases " , pp . 15 pp . + appendices

urn : lsid : biodiversity . org . au : afd . taxon : 0cf1a534 - 13d1 - 424a - ac46 - e20d300d5fae

urn : lsid : biodiversity . org . au : afd . taxon : f8f65564 - 1270 - 4f28 - a3ab - 30d6a33503bf

urn : lsid : biodiversity . org . au : afd . name : 357500

explore species occurrence records in the context of their environment . find records and model species distributions . export reports , maps and data .

find out how you can contribute to a citizen science project in your area , or explore one of the many citizen science projects supported by the ala .

did you see something ? photograph something ? contribute your sighting to the atlas of living australia .

the atlas of living australia acknowledges australia ' s traditional owners and pays respect to the past and present elders of the nation ' s aboriginal and torres strait islander communities . we honour and celebrate the spiritual , cultural and customary connections of traditional owners to country and the biodiversity that forms part of that country .

source : bernard e . picton / cc - by - sa - 3 . 0

when the fish can find its natural food in the aquarium it requires less frequent feeding .

this species will better acclimatize to the aquarium ` s condition if introduced , when young .

some species of the chaetodon genus are grouped together in what is known as a " complex " , since they are so very similar .

regardless of resemblance , it is important to be able to distinguish them , as in some cases they vary greatly in their needs . sometimes there are just small differences in colour or pattern , but in other instances it is vital to know where the fish originally come from .

it can be problematic , with many of these species , to get them eating in the beginning , but many of the species cannot resist live zooplankton or live mussels with crushed shells . another option is to mimic their natural behaviour by stuffing their food into coral skeletons or stones .

as these fish can be difficult to acclimatize and get feeding , it is important to buy healthy fish , to avoid having to deal with more problems . make sure to check that they do not have parasites or any visible infections .

there are some species that should not be kept in an a aquarium , as they are food specialists and will almost always refuse to eat replacement foods . it can be possible to breed some species , which will eat frozen foods . otherwise the only way to keep food specialists is by feeding them their natural diet , which consists of live sps or lps corals for example .

indo - pacific : cocos - keeling islands to the tuamoto islands , north to japan .

scott w . michael . 2004 . angelfishes and butterflyfishes ( reef fishes series book 3 ) tfh publications / microcosm ltd . - ( english ) bob fenner . butterflyfishes ; separating the good ones and those you don ' t want - wet web media - ( english ) collection of links to additional information - wet web media - ( english ) tea yi kai . 2014 . reef nuggets 2 : aquatic lepidopterans for your reef ( revised edition ) - reef builders - ( english )

froese , r . and d . pauly . editors . 2014 . fishbase . world wide web electronic publication . urltoken , version ( 08 / 2014 ) .

" minimum volume " indicates the size of the tank needed to house this species under optimal conditions .

this is based on a medium size animal , which you want to keep for several years . it might be possible to keep smaller specimens for a limited period in a smaller tank . a larger tank might be needed for fully - grown specimens .

" hardiness " indicates how resistant this species is to disease and how well i tolerates bad conditions in general . some species doesn ' t handle transportation very well , but that doesn ' t mean that the species isn ' t hardy under the right conditions .

in this case , a " normal " aquarium is a reef aquarium with mixed corals or a fish only aquarium with an approximately salinity of 1 . 026 ( sg ) and a temperature close to 26°c . species requiring more than a 4000 - liter tank are considered not suitable for home aquarium .

special aquariums may cover tanks with low salinity , sub - tropical temperature , deep sand bed , sea grass etc .

always reef safe : no sources indicate that this species will harm corals or other invertebrates .

often reef safe : only a few aquarists has reported problems keeping this species with corals and other invertebrates .

reef safe with caution : this species may be a threat to some types of invertebrates .

reef safe with luck : most specimens will harm corals and / or other invertebrates , but you might be lucky .

not reef safe : this species is a threat to most corals and / or other invertebrates .