Pallas's Sandgrouse

Pallas's sandgrouse is a sturdy 30–41cm steppe bird with a small pigeon-like head, long pointed wings and an elongated pointed tail. Its buff plumage is barred above, with pale underwings and a contrasting black belly patch. Males have a grey head and breast, orange face and grey breast band; females are duller and more heavily barred. The feathered legs and fused front toes form a padded, paw-like foot with no hind toe. (Wikipedia, Pallas's sandgrouse account)

The species breeds on dry Central Asian steppes, including Mongolia, nesting in a bare ground scrape and laying two or three cryptically marked greenish eggs. Its diet is mainly seeds, so birds must visit water regularly. Large flocks can make long, fast flights to drinking sites at dawn and dusk. Males soak specialised breast feathers while drinking, carrying absorbed water back for chicks. Northern birds move south variably in winter, especially according to snowfall. (Wikipedia, Pallas's sandgrouse account)