Bustards, Hemipodes and Sandgrouse

The bustards, hemipodes, and sandgrouse represent three taxonomically distinct and diverse families. Most of their members have become adapted to life in deserts, semi-deserts, or steppes of the Old World. This is the first monograph covering any of these groups, and is a companion volume to the author's The Pheasants of the World and The Quails, Partridges, and Francolins of the World. It covers all fifty-one extant species, and all but one of them are illustrated by paintings by Major Henry Jones, done from specimens in The Natural History Museum, London. These paintings are owned by The Zoological Society of London and are reproduced with their permission. The Lark-quail is illustrated by a new painting by Mark Marcuson. The text includes comparative chapters on the taxonomy and phylogeny of the three bird groups, their zoogeographic patterns, social behaviour, breeding biology, and status (in cases of rare or endangered species). The species accounts include identification criteria, summaries of available biological information, and range descriptions. Keys for the identification of genera and species are also provided, and approximately four-hundred literature sources are cited. This book is intended for ornithologists, zoologists, ecologists, naturalists, conservationists, collectors of illustrated bird books.Table of ContentComparative Biology: Taxonomy and phyletic relationships; Zoogeography and evolutionary trends; Behaviour; Breeding biology; Exploitation and conservation; Species Accounts: HEMIPODES (Family Turnicidae); Key to the species; Lark-quail; Madagascan Buttonquail; Spotted Buttonquail; Yellow-legged Buttonquail; Black-rumped Buttonquail; Striped Buttonquail; Red-backed Buttonquail; Little Buttonquail; Red-chested Buttonquail; Chestnut-backed Buttonquail; Painted Buttonquail; Barred Buttonquail; Black-breasted Buttonquail; BUSTARDS (Family Otididae); Key to the species; Houbara Bustard; Little Bustard; Great Bustard; Australian Bustard; Great Indian Bustard; Arabian Bustard; Kori Bustard; Nubian Bustard; Denham's (Stanley's) Bustard; Heuglin's Bustard; Ludwig's Bustard; Black-bellied Bustard; Hartlaub's Bustard; White-bellied Bustard; Little Brown Bustard; Black-throated (Vigor's) Bustard; Ruppell's Bustard; Little Black Bustard; Rufous-crested Bustard; Blue Bustard; Bengal Florican; Lesser Florican; SANDGROUSE (Family Pteroclidae); Key to the species; Tibetan Sandgrouse; Pallas' Sandgrouse; Spotted Sandgrouse; Pin-tailed Sandgrouse; Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse; Namaqua Sandgrouse; Black-bellied Sandgrouse; Crowned Sandgrouse; Madagascan Sandgrouse; Black-faced Sandgrouse; Lichtenstein's Sandgrouse; Double-banded Sandgrouse; Four-banded Sandgrouse; Painted Sandgrouse; Yellow-throated Sandgrouse; Burchell's Sandgrouse; References; Index to vernacular and scientific names.