Page 163 - Complete Birds of Britain and Europe (DK - RSPB)

CRANES AND BUSTARDS
Order Gruiformes Family Otididae Species Otis tarda
Great Bustard short,
strong
grey head bill
and neck
extensive white
on wings
short, broad
tail rufous
heavily barred breast
rufous upperparts
MALE
IN FLIGHT

slim head
black and rufous and neck
bars above

FEMALE

MALE
his is one of the world’s heaviest flying birds, the males being
Tmassive, heavy-bodied, thick-legged, strong-billed birds, and
the females markedly smaller.They live in semi-natural steppe and
remote areas of cereal cultivation, but agricultural intensification FLIGHT: strong, low, direct, with continual
and irrigation threaten their future survival. Small groups are shy powerful wingbeats.
and easily disturbed, flying off powerfully with deep, slow DISPLAY
wingbeats, revealing extensive areas A displaying male Great Bustard is
of white.They are very rare outside a remarkable sight, turning his
their regular range, appearing at long wings over to reveal large areas
intervals and quite erratically on of white.
open farmland in northwest Europe
in winter or early spring.
VOICE Mostly silent.
NESTING Unlined scrape in soil;
2 or 3 eggs; 1 brood;April–June.
FEEDING Takes small rodents,
reptiles, amphibians, and
insects from ground.
SIMILAR SPECIES
OCCURRENCE
LITTLE BUSTARD 32; Very local in Spain, Portugal, and
see p.162
E Europe; resident on open plains
very much with dry grass or cereals in undis-
smaller turbed areas, typically in areas
with extensive views all round.
Very rare vagrant elsewhere.
TAKING OFF
The distinctive white underwings with black tips of the Great Bustard are Seen in the UK
clearly visible at take-off. JF M A M J JA S ON D
Length 90–105cm (35–41in) Wingspan 2.1–2.4m (7–7 3 ⁄4ft) Weight 8–16kg (18–35lb)
Social Small flocks Lifespan 15–20 years Status Declining
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