Syrrhaptes is a genus of birds in the sandgrouse family. The genus name is from Ancient Greek
surrhaptos, "sewn together"; the feathered toes of birds in this genus are fused together.[2]
There are two central Asian species.
Genus Syrrhaptes – Illiger, 1811 – two species
Common name
Scientific name and subspecies
Range
Size and ecology
IUCN status and estimated population
Tibetan sandgrouse
Syrrhaptes tibetanus Gould, 1850
mountains ranges of Central Asia, Tibet, Central China and the Himalayas
Size:
Habitat:
Diet:
LC
Pallas's sandgrouse
Syrrhaptes paradoxus (Pallas, 1773)
Kazakhstan, Mongolia, across Europe as far west as Great Britain
Size:
Habitat:
Diet:
LC
These are large birds breeding in open steppes or plateau. They nest in a ground scrape into which three eggs are laid.
Both species have mainly buff upperparts, an orange face and feathered legs and toes. They are smaller-headed than other sandgrouse, but have sturdy compact bodies.
The small feet lack a hind toe, and the three front toes are fused together. The upper surface is feathered, and the underneath has a fleshy pad. The appearance of the foot is more like a paw than an avian foot.[3]
Although there is range overlap, they are easily distinguished. Tibetan sandgrouse has a white belly and black underwings, whereas Pallas's has a black belly and white underwings.
These birds are gregarious like other sandgrouse. Flocks fly to watering holes at dawn and dusk, on long pointed wings.
^"Pteroclidae". aviansystematics.org. The Trust for Avian Systematics. Retrieved 2023-08-05.
^Jobling, James A (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. p. 376. ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4.
^van Grouw, Katrina (2012). Unfeathered Bird. Princeton University Press. pp. 242–243. ISBN 978-0691151342.
Syrrhaptes is a genus of birds in the sandgrouse family. The genus name is from Ancient Greek surrhaptos, "sewn together"; the feathered toes of birds...
The Tibetan sandgrouse (Syrrhaptes tibetanus) is a large bird in the sandgrouse family. The genus name Syrrhaptes is from Ancient Greek surrhaptos, "sewn...
all the species in the family except for two central Asian species in Syrrhaptes. These sandgrouse have small, pigeon-like heads and necks, but sturdy...
The Namaqua sandgrouse (Pterocles namaqua), is a species of ground-dwelling bird in the sandgrouse family. It is found in arid regions of south-western...
sandgrouse P. personatus; and these may form a group along with the two Syrrhaptes species, black-bellied sandgrouse P. orientalis, Namaqua sandgrouse P...
The spotted sandgrouse (Pterocles senegallus) is a species of ground dwelling bird in the family Pteroclidae. It is found in arid regions of northern and...
The Madagascar sandgrouse (Pterocles personatus) is a species of bird in the family Pteroclidae. It is endemic to Madagascar and is a ground-dwelling short-legged...
Hyposmocoma syrrhaptes is a species of moth of the family Cosmopterigidae. It was first described by Lord Walsingham in 1907. It is endemic to the Hawaiian...
dusk. Their legs are feathered down to the toes. Tibetan sandgrouse, Syrrhaptes tibetanus Pin-tailed sandgrouse, Pterocles alchata Chestnut-bellied sandgrouse...
Global Information
