Great Bustard
Otis tarda
Conservation Status
EndangeredAves · Otidiformes · Otididae
About
The great bustard is a bird in the bustard family, and the only living member of the genus Otis. It breeds in open grasslands and farmland from northern Morocco, South and Central Europe to temperate Central and East Asia. European populations are mainly resident, but Asian populations migrate farther south in winter. Endangered as of 2023, it had been listed as a Vulnerable species on the IUCN Red List since 1996.
Fun Fact
The Great Bustard is the heaviest flying bird in the world, with males reaching 21 kg, and they consume toxic beetles before breeding, apparently for antiparasitic effects.
Quick Facts
Habitat
Habitat is grassland or steppe defined by open, flat or somewhat rolling landscapes.
Diet
Diet of adult birds was green plant material, 40.
Lifespan
10 years
Threats
- Agricultural Intensification
- Power Line Collisions
- Disturbance During Breeding Season
- Fragmentation of Steppe Habitat