Bustard bird. Habitat and lifestyle of the bustard

African Great Bustard

Birds come in a wide range of sizes and weights. The African ostrich is recognized as the largest living bird. But, as you know, he does not fly. Where does the heaviest flying bird live? Yes, everything is there in Africa and has a name - big african bustard(Ardeotis kori) from the order Crane-shaped. The African great bustard is much larger than the common bustard, which lives in the CIS and, by the way, is the heaviest flying bird in Eurasia.

Local endemics

A male African Great Bustard weighs about 20 kg with a total length of up to 120 cm. Females are smaller. African great bustards make an impressive impression: Long neck, the slightly flattened head is crowned with a black crest. On the head, neck and belly of the bird, grayish-whitish tones predominate, and on the back, wings and tail there is dense, hard brown plumage.

African great bustards, being endemic, inhabit mainly African savannas covered with low vegetation. Sometimes found in agricultural landscapes. Bustards walk more than fly, so they have strong, thick legs adapted for fast movement By earth's surface.

Bustard lifestyle

They have excellent camouflage ability in the grass. Unlike their Eurasian migratory relatives, African bustards fly sedentary image life. The flight of the Great African Bustard is something special. It’s good that such “birds” don’t fly around here.

Bustards have a mixed diet: plant and animal food. The diet of the adult bustard consists of green shoots, various seeds and grains, and insects. The need for water, again unlike the bustard that lives in temperate latitudes, is minimal for the African great bustard. The coccygeal gland is absent. The life expectancy of a bustard in natural conditions rarely exceeds 20 years. However, there are cases when individual birds crossed the forty-year mark.

Reproduction in Bustards

Pairs are formed only on short period reproduction. Great African Bustards are mating on the ground. Movements of males during mating games are unique. The bustard's nest is made in the ground, lightly lined with grass. The clutch contains 2-3 eggs of variegated color. Incubation lasts 20-30 days. This responsibility falls entirely on the female. Having barely hatched from the eggs and dried out a little, the chicks are ready to follow their mother. Currently, the heaviest flying birds are endangered and hunting, which was so common in the past, is now completely prohibited.

Bustards (lat.Otididae)- a family of large land birds native to the Old World, belonging to the order Craniformes. According to genetic studies, they are considered relatives of cranes, from which they diverged about 70 million years ago. Includes 26 species, divided into 11 genera.

Spreading

All species with the exception of one inhabit the steppes, savannas and semi-deserts of Africa, Asia and southern Europe; One species, the Australian great bustard (Ardeotis australis), lives in Australia and New Guinea. 16 species of bustards live exclusively in tropical zone Africa, 2 more occasionally appear in its northern part.

Most prefer open spaces where there is good review over a considerable distance. Some African species such as Great Bustards (Eupodotis), Great Bustards (Lophotis), Black-bellied Bustards (Lissotis) are tolerant of various woody vegetation such as acacia groves or thorny bushes; and Great Bustards (Sypheotides) and Floricans (Houbaropsis) usually inhabit areas with tall grass.

Classification

  • Genus Afrotis
    • Black Bustard (Afrotis afra)
    • Afrotis afraoides
  • Genus Vikhlyai (Chlamydotis)
    • Wiggler (Chlamydotis undulata)
    • Chlamydotis macqueenii
  • Genus Great Bustard (Ardeotis)
    • Arabian Great Bustard (Ardeotis arabs)
    • African Great Bustard (Ardeotis kori)
    • Indian Great Bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps)
    • Australian Great Bustard (Ardeotis australis)
  • Genus Great Bustards (Eupodotis)
    • Senegalese Bustard (Eupodotis senegalensis)
    • Blue Bustard (Eupodotis caerulescens)
    • Black-throated Bustard (Eupodotis vigorsii)
    • Eupodotis rueppellii
    • Brown Bustard (Eupodotis humilis)
  • Genus? Houbaropsis
    • Bearded Bustard (Houbaropsis bengalensis)
  • Genus Lissotis
    • Black-bellied Bustard (Lissotis melanogaster)
    • Sudanese Bustard (Lissotis hartlaubii)
  • Genus Lophotis
    • Red-crested Bustard (Lophotis ruficrista)
    • Lophotis savilei
    • Lophotis gindiana
  • Genus African Bustards (Neotis)
    • South African Bustard (Neotis ludwigii)
    • Kaffir Bustard (Neotis denhami)
    • Somali Bustard (Neotis heuglinii)
    • Nubian Bustard (Neotis nuba)
  • Genus Bustard (Otis)
    • Bustard (Otis tarda)
  • Genus Great Indian Bustards (Sypheotides)
    • Little Indian Bustard (Sypheotides indica)
  • Genus Little Bustards (Tetrax)
    • Little Bustard (Tetrax tetrax)

Description

The size and weight of birds varies significantly from 40 to 120 cm and from 0.45 to 19 kg, respectively; the most major representative family is considered the African great bustard (Ardeotis kori), reaching a height of 110 cm and a weight of up to 19 kg, which makes it one of the most massive flying birds on Earth.

The physique is strong. The head is relatively large, slightly flattened at the top. Males of the genera Bustards (Otis), Great Bustards (Ardeotis), Bustards (Neotis), Black-bellied Bustards (Lissotis), Houbara Bustards (Chlamydotis) and Floricans (Houbaropsis) have a feathery crest on their heads, which is especially visible during mating games. The beak is short and straight. The neck is long, slightly thickened. The wings are large and strong; when danger appears, birds most often try to fly away. The legs are long, with wide and relatively short toes, on which there are hard calloused hemispheres in the lower part; the hind finger is missing, which indicates their terrestrial lifestyle. Bustard males are larger than females, which is most noticeable in large species - the difference in their size reaches up to 1/3 of the length of the other sex; in smaller species the difference is less noticeable.

The plumage is predominantly of protective shades: in the upper part it is brown or finely cross-striped, which blends well with the bird clinging to the ground. environment. In the lower part, the plumage is different: in species inhabiting open spaces, it is often white; and with dense vegetation sometimes black. Many species have black and white spots on their wings that are invisible on the ground and clearly visible when flying. Males tend to be more brightly colored than females, at least during the breeding season; The exception is the genus Great Bustard (Eupodotis), where the plumage of both sexes looks the same.

Lifestyle

Bustards lead an exclusively terrestrial lifestyle, never using trees or shrubs. Several species, such as the bustard (Otis tarda) and little bustard (Tetrax tetrax), gather in schools, with the latter living in groups of several thousand individuals. Desert-adapted species, such as houbara bustards (Chlamydotis), live more solitary lives. Some species gather in groups only during the mating season. They can often be seen among herds of grazing animals, where they hunt disturbed insects and are more protected from attacks by predators.

Only a few populations lead an exclusively sedentary lifestyle, while the majority are nomadic or migratory birds. Species breeding in Asia, in winter time migrate over long distances.

Nutrition

Bustards are omnivores and have a very wide dietary range. However, in most species plant food still predominates. They consume young shoots, flowers and leaves of herbaceous plants; dig up soft roots; feed on fruits and seeds. In addition, they feed on various insects: beetles, grasshoppers and other arthropods. Sometimes they eat small vertebrates: reptiles, rodents, etc., without disdaining carrion. Birds can go without water for a long time, but when it is available they drink it well.

Reproduction

The breeding season usually coincides with the heavy rainy season when food is abundant. When courting, males of many species make magnificent displays in which they are capable of ruffling their necks, producing an impressive drum trill, and also inflating it like hot air balloon. Small species, especially those living among tall grass, jump high into the air or make short flights in a manner that is noticeable from a distance.

As a rule, there is no long-term relationship between the female and the male, and after fertilization the female incubates the eggs and hatches the chicks alone. The nest is made on the ground, in a small depression covered with herbaceous vegetation. The female lays 1-6 (usually 2-4) eggs over several days. The incubation period varies among different types, but in general lasts in a small interval of 20-25 days. The chicks are brood type and are able to leave the nest within a few hours after birth.

Or Bustard Kori- a large flying bird that lives, as the name implies, on the African continent. Found in open areas with sandy soils, overgrown with low grass and shrubs, as well as in sparsely wooded savannas and semi-deserts. These characteristics correspond to the territories of Botswana, Namibia, Partial Angola, Zambabwe, Zambia, Mozambique and South Africa. Leads a mostly sedentary lifestyle, making minor movements after the rains.

African Bustard is the heaviest flying bird on the continent. Males reach a weight of up to 19 kg, and grow up to 130 cm in length. Females vary greatly in size - they are about 2/3 lighter than males, and weigh on average 5.5 kg. The bird has a relatively long neck and very long legs, and the overall tone of the feathers is gray-brown.

The feathers on the neck are long and have gray color with a huge number of black and white speckles. The back and part of the wings are brownish-brown, the chest and belly are white, and there are several dozen randomly scattered black spots on the folds of the wings. On the back of the head there is a long crest of black feathers, the legs and beak are yellowish.

The Great African Bustard spends most of its time on the ground. Being a large and heavy bird, it takes off only when absolutely necessary.

Bustards live both alone and in small groups of 5-7 birds. They are active in the mornings and evenings, when they slowly walk along the ground in search of food. They are quite omnivorous, but mainly eat insects such as locusts, grasshoppers and caterpillars. Also, their menu often includes lizards, chameleons, snakes, small mammals and even chicks, eggs and carrion. Bustard Kori They regularly visit watering holes if they are located nearby, but the bird can also be found far from water sources. What is unusual is that they do not scoop up water like other birds, but rather suck it.

The mating season for the Great Bustard is most active in November and December. Like other bustards, this species “practices” a polygynous model of reproduction - one male mates with many females. Fierce skirmishes often occur between males, when they, having swollen their crops, fluffed out the feathers on their necks, lowered their wings and protruded their tails, rush at each other, showering the opponent with a hail of blows with their beaks.

After mating, the female Kori bustard lays 2 (rarely more or less) eggs on the bare ground. Then, for 23-30 days, the female incubates the clutch, practically without leaving the nest. When the chicks hatch, she provides them with soft food so they can eat it. The chicks fledge at 4-5 weeks, but will be able to fly confidently only at the age of 3-4 months.

Being primarily a ground-dwelling bird, the Houbara Bustard is prey to a variety of predators. Among them, leopard, cheetah, mountain pythons, jackals and martial eagles (the last two predators are especially dangerous for eggs and chicks) attack bustards of all ages. African warthogs, mongooses and baboons can also eat eggs and chicks. On average, out of two chicks, only one survives to adulthood. In case of danger, the female tries to protect the offspring by fluffing out her wings and tail to appear larger, but she is not always able to preserve the brood.

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Indian Great Bustard video, Indian Great Bustard publishing
Ardeotis nigriceps (Vigors, 1831)

(lat. Ardeotis nigriceps) - a bird from the Bustard family.

  • 1 General characteristics
  • 2 Distribution
  • 3 Lifestyle
    • 3.1 Power
    • 3.2 Reproduction
  • 4 Indian bustard and man
  • 5 Notes
  • 6 Literature

general characteristics

Indian Bustard - large bird, reaching a height of 1 m, a wingspan of up to 2.5 m, a weight of over 18 kg. The male is noticeably larger than the female. The back is brown, the head and neck are grayish-beige, the belly is the same color. On the chest of males black line, on the crown of the head there is a black crest up to 5 cm long. On long, strong legs, there are three toes pointing forward. The length of the middle finger is approximately 7.5 cm.

Spreading

Lives in India. Lives, like all bustards, on open spaces, fields and wastelands.

Lifestyle

The gait of the Indian bustard is majestic, taking every step slowly. She holds her head high, at an angle of 45°, which makes her neck seem to be bent slightly back. The alarmed bustard begins to scream.

Nutrition

The great Indian bustard feeds on various small animals - grasshoppers, snails, small snakes, centipedes, lizards, beetles, and pecks spiders from the web. In addition, the bustard also hunts mice, thereby providing a service to local farmers. It also feeds on plants: some types of grasses, leaves, seeds and grains. It raids melons and eats seeds from watermelons and melons. The bustard usually feeds early in the morning and late in the evening and rests during the day.

Reproduction

The Indian Great Bustard is a polygamous bird. The male has several females, but he does not take care of the eggs and offspring. For mating ceremonies, the male chooses small hills or sand dunes; when strangers approach, he immediately hides in the thickets of tall grass. mating season the male dances, walks importantly, his tail spread like a fan, and screams loudly. His cry resembles something between the snort of a camel and the roar of a lion. Usually these screams can be heard in the morning hours before dawn and in the evening twilight and are carried over long distances. After mating, the female lays one egg, usually in places remote from humans. To do this, she digs a hole in the ground and lays an egg. Sometimes you can find two eggs at once in a bustard nest. However, according to ornithologists, this does not mean that one female laid two eggs; most likely, two females from one male laid their eggs in one place. Typically, Indian bustards lay eggs from June to October, sometimes this happens at other times of the year. The egg of the Indian bustard is elongated, covered with chocolate spots and reddish-brown markings. After 20-28 days, the egg hatches into a chick that can immediately walk. In cases of danger, the female sits on the nest until the last minute, then suddenly jumps out to meet the enemy, loudly flapping her wings. If there is a chick in the nest, it begins to hiss or silently changes its location and sits on the ground. Sometimes the female pretends to be wounded, pretending that her legs are injured and leads the enemy away from the nest, flies low above the ground, while the chick sits pressed to the ground and does not move until the mother calls him. After a while, he begins to make quiet whistling sounds, calling for his mother.

Bustard and man

Due to poaching, the Indian Bustard has been brought to the brink of extinction. In the 1970s, India began to take measures to save the Indian bustard; it was even proposed to make it national symbol of this country. Some Indian zoos have learned to raise bustards, and the most suitable diet for captive birds has been developed.

Notes

  1. Boehme R. L., Flint V. E. Five-language dictionary of animal names. Birds. Latin, Russian, English, German, French / Under the general editorship of academician. V. E. Sokolova. - M.: Rus. lang., "RUSSO", 1994. - P. 76. - 2030 copies. - ISBN 5-200-00643-0.

Literature

Indian Great Bustard Ventana, Indian Great Bustard video, Indian Great Bustard publishing, Indian Great Bustard photo

Indian Great Bustard Information About

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