The Sandgrouse's Daily Search for Water
In The Sandgrouse's Daily Search for Water, narrator Sir David Attenborough describes the extraordinary efforts of a male sandgrouse as he embarks on a treacherous 200-kilometer round trip each day through the Kalahari Desert to find water for his chicks. Along the way, he faces dangerous predators like the goshawk, and endures the heat of the desert. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Planet Earth II, a breathtaking documentary series that highlights the natural wonders of our planet.
Lesson Express
Q: What makes the male sandgrouse’s daily journey so difficult?
A: He has to travel a long distance in extreme heat while avoiding predators like the goshawk.
Q: How does the male sandgrouse help his chicks survive in the desert?
A: He soaks up water in his feathers and carries it back to his chicks so they can drink.
Q: Why is water so important in deserts, and how do animals like the sandgrouse survive with so little of it?
A: Water is scarce, so animals adapt by finding ways to save or carry water, like the sandgrouse’s special feathers.