bustard n : large heavy-bodied chiefly terrestrial game bird capable of powerful swift flight; classified with wading birds but frequents grassy steppes

English

Pronunciation

• ˈbʌs.təd
• "bVs.t@d

Noun

1. Any of various large terrestrial birds of the family Otididae that inhabit dry open country and steppes in the Old World.

Translations

• Afrikaans: pou
• Chinese: 鸨 (bǎo)
• Dutch: trap
• Finnish: trappi
• French: outarde
• German: Trappe
• Hungarian: túzok
• Lithuanian: einis
• Polish: drop
• Russian: дрофа (drofá)
• Spanish: avutarda

Bustards are large terrestrial birds mainly associated with dry open country and steppes in the Old World. They make up the family Otididae (formerly known as Otidae).

Bustards are omnivorous and nest on the ground. They walk steadily on strong legs and big toes, pecking for food as they go. They have long broad wings with "fingered" wingtips, and striking patterns in flight. Many have interesting mating displays. They were renowned by the ancient Arabs for being unnaturally stupid.Hayawān, Encyclopedia of Islam

Bustards are gregarious outside the breeding season, but are very wary and difficult to approach in the open habitats they prefer. Most species are declining or endangered through habitat loss and hunting, even where they are nominally protected., but were unfertilized—probably owing to the still juvenile male population. The last bustard died out in Britain in about 1832, but the bird is being reintroduced through batches of chicks imported from Russia.

• Ludwig's Bustard, Neotis ludwigii
• Stanley Bustard, or Denham's Bustard, Neotis denhami
• Heuglin's Bustard, Neotis heuglinii
• Nubian Bustard, Neotis nuba
• White-bellied Bustard, Eupodotis senegalensis
• Blue Bustard, Eupodotis caerulescens
• Karoo Bustard, Eupodotis vigorsii
• Rüppell's Bustard, Eupodotis rueppellii
• Little Brown Bustard, Eupodotis humilis
• Savile's Bustard, Lophotis savilei
• Buff-crested Bustard, Lophotis gindiana
• Red-crested Bustard, Lophotis ruficrista
• Black Bustard, Afrotis afra
• White-quilled Bustard, Afrotis afraoides
• Black-bellied Bustard, Lissotis melanogaster
• Hartlaub's Bustard, Lissotis hartlaubii
• Bengal Florican, Houbaropsis bengalensis
• Lesser Florican, Sypheotides indica
• Little Bustard, Tetrax tetrax

Notes

References

• Phylogeny and Classification of the Birds : A Study in Molecular Evolution
• http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/full/10.1046/j.1474-919X.2002.00110.x

• Ecology and conservation of Steppe-Land birds by Gerard Bota et al. International Symposium on Ecology and Conservation of Steppe-land birds. Lynx Edicions 2005. 343 pages. ISBN 84-87334-99-7

External links

• Bustard videos on the Internet Bird Collection