This bird… carries water in its feathers for its chicks.
In the dry grasslands and scrub of the Indian subcontinent, the Painted sandgrouse moves across dusty terrain in search of seeds and sparse vegetation. At dawn, males fly long distances to water sources, soaking their specially adapted belly feathers. They then return to the nest, where chicks drink directly from the damp plumage.
What makes it extraordinary is this built-in “water transport system” — a rare adaptation that allows life to thrive far from rivers and lakes. A bird of arid lands, yet a lifeline for its young.
Painted Sandgrouse 👇
