Table 5. Food items eaten by 13 imperial sandgrouse collected 
at Pokaran, Phalodi and Patodi, India 




. Frequency of Percent of 
Food Parts occurrence total 
eaten Number Percent volume 
a 


(a) Indigofera linifolia and 
I. cordifolia seed 12 92 21 
(b) Phaseolus radiatus seed 4 30 16 
Panicum sp. seed 
leaf 4 30 16 
Heliotropium strigosum seed 4 30 2.4 
(b) Phaseolus aconitifolius seed 3 23 23 
Unknown seed No, 1 seed 3 23 T 
Tephrosia purpurea seed 2 15 12.6 
(b) Cyamopsis psoralioides seed 2 15 4.8 
Gynandropsis gynandra seed 2 15 1.2 
Unknown seed No. 1 seed 1 8 1.2 
Grit 9 69 1.2 
Sl rr ES rr gS, SSG, 
(a) These species not separated owing to their small size and the 
enormous quantities consumed. 
(b) Cultivated grains. 
Imperial sandgrouse are notorious travelers to and from the places 
where water is available for drinking. Local inhabitants in Turkey, 
Iran, and Pakistan report that the birds will fly 15 to 20 miles from 
resting and feeding places to water and return, once and occasionally 
twice a day. These birds favor particular watering places to which 
they come back day after day when not unduly disturbed. Such spots 
are mainly clear of vegetation, for they shun a brush= or grass-bordered 
place to drink unless the vegetation has been eaten or trampled down 
almost to oblivion, usually by sheep or goats. Flocks coming to water, 
wheel around such sites once or twice before pitching in steeply to 
alight a short distance from the water if no danger threatens. After 
a moment to as long as half an hour, they shuffle on short legs down 
the gentle slopes to the water's edge, to enjoy an unhurried drink. 
They often wade belly-deep into the water before drinking. Sand- 
grouse and pigeons are unique in that they immerse their bills and 
actually suck up the water without the necessity of raising their 
heads between swallows, 
49 
