Yellow-throated Sandgrouse
Yellow-throated SandgrouseYellow-throated SandgrouseYellow-throated SandgrouseYellow-throated Sandgrouse

Yellow-throated Sandgrouse

Pterocles gutturalis

Silhouette: PhyloPic · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
at Masai Mara National Reserve
557 Verified sightings at Masai Mara National Reserve From 2019 to 2026
2,334 Verified sightings across all 15 parks From 2019 to 2026
July Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Yellow-throated Sandgrouse

The yellow-throated sandgrouse (Pterocles gutturalis) is a bird species of the family Pteroclidae. The species common name is derived from the male's distinctive yellow throat. It is found in arid and semi-arid environments and inhabits regions distributed across 10 different African countries. Two subspecies are accepted, P. g. saturatior and P. g. gutturalis. The yellow-throated sandgrouse is listed as Near Threatened in the South African regional assessment but regarded as Least Concerned globally.

Pterocles gutturalis is one of the 16 species in Pteroclidae, the only family in the order Pterocliformes. Early morphological analyses placed the group at an intermediate position between fowls and pigeons (Columbiformes). However, a later study on feather structure suggest a closer evolutionary connection with shorebirds (Charadriiformes).

Molecular and behavioural analyses support that the yellow-throated sandgrouse is part of the short-tailed clade, which also includes the Madagascar sandgrouse (P. personatus), and the crowned sandgrouse (P. coronatus). Genetic assessments indicate that P. personatus, a species found only in Madagascar, is the sister species of... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Masai Mara National Reserve

Black-faced Sandgrouse
LC

Black-faced Sandgrouse

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pterocles decoratus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse
LC

Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pterocles exustus

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Serengeti National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~20%
2 Masai Mara National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
~20%
3 Ngorongoro Conservation Area 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~20%
4 Tarangire National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~10%
5 Amboseli National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~10%
6 Hwange National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
<5%
7 Chobe National Park 🇧🇼 Botswana
<5%
8 Kafue National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
<5%
9 Nairobi National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
10 Lake Nakuru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
11 Pilanesberg National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data
12 Ruaha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
13 Samburu National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
Insufficient data
14 Moremi Game Reserve 🇧🇼 Botswana
Insufficient data
15 Tsavo East National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Yellow-throated Sandgrouse in Masai Mara National Reserve?

About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Yellow-throated Sandgrouse sighting in Masai Mara National Reserve, based on 557 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Yellow-throated Sandgrouse in Masai Mara National Reserve?

July has the highest sighting rate for Yellow-throated Sandgrouse in Masai Mara National Reserve in our monthly data.

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