About the Great Bustard
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.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
ID tip
The adult male great bustard is amongst the heaviest living flying birds. A male is typically 90–105 cm (2 ft 11 in – 3 ft 5 in) tall, with a length of around 115 cm (3 ft 9 in) and has a 2.1–2.7 m (6 ft 11 in – 8 ft 10 in) wingspan. The male can range in weight from 5.8 to 18 kg (13 to 40 lb). The heaviest verified specimen, collected in Manchuria, was about 21 kg (46 lb), a world record for heaviest flying bird. In a study in Spain, one male weighed as much as 19 kg (42 lb). Larger specimens have been reported but remain unverified.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where the Great Bustard lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in France, Netherlands, Sweden, South Korea.
When to see the Great Bustard
Peak activity in April · a resident species across most of its range
Easily confused with
Kori BustardArdeotis koriThe kori bustard is cryptically coloured, being mostly grey and brown, finely patterned with black and white coloring.
Red-crested KorhaanLophotis ruficristaThe red-crested korhaan grows up to 50 cm (1.6 ft) in length with a maximal weight of 680 g (1.5 lb).
Northern Black KorhaanAfrotis afraoidesThe male's plumage has regularly-arranged black and white barring on the back and wings, the head, neck and underparts being black.
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