
Figure 33. The pin-tailed sandgrouse in Iraq 
often travel in enormous flocks 
The imperial sandgrouse is much less addicted to feeding in 
wheat or barley stubble or planted fields, seemingly preferring the 
rough fare of the desert to the cultivated grains shaken loose by the 
scythes of the peasants. In addition imperials usually feed in pairs 
or in small flocks of 3 to 25 birds except on their wintering grounds 
where larger flocks are sometimes encountered. 
During the winter of 1959-60, Christensen (14) examined the food 
taken by 13 imperial sandgrouse collected in the eastern part of the 
Sind or Thar desert of Rajasthan, India. Table 5 lists the results 
in terms of items eaten, frequency of occurrence, and percentage of 
total volume, He concluded that "The Imperial is primarily a seed 
eater during the period of the year represented. Indigofera linifolia 
and I. cordifolia seeds, which are extremely small and consumed in 
enormous quantity, are a favorite food based on frequency of occurrence 
and total volume. The crop of one bird contained an estimated 8,700 
Indigofera sp. seeds. Other food items are found less frequently, 
but due to the larger seed size, items such as Phaseolus aconitifolius, 
P. radiatus, Panicum sp. and Tephrosia purpurea make up a substantial 
part of the bird's diet. No insect material was consumed and, of the 
seeds eaten, three species were of cultivated crops. The pulses 
(Phaseolus sp.) accounted for 39% of the total volume. It is apparent 
that the Imperial utilizes waste grain from the fallow fields and is 
equally adept at taking advantage of the seed crop produced by native 
forbs and annuals," 
48 
