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White-bellied Bustard

Eupodotis senegalensis

Least Concern · IUCN Red List

LCLeast ConcernOmnivoreGrasslandScrapeLarge · 585 g
White-bellied Bustard (Eupodotis senegalensis), photo 1
Photo: Becky Matsubara from El Sobrante, California · CC BY 2.0
White-bellied Bustard (Eupodotis senegalensis), photo 2
Photo: gailhampshire from Cradley, Malvern, U.K · CC BY 2.0
White-bellied Bustard (Eupodotis senegalensis), photo 3
Photo: Becky Matsubara from El Sobrante, California · CC BY 2.0
White-bellied Bustard (Eupodotis senegalensis), photo 4
Photo: WaterGoat · CC BY 4.0
White-bellied Bustard (Eupodotis senegalensis), photo 5
Photo: Irene · CC0
White-bellied Bustard (Eupodotis senegalensis), photo 6
Photo: Becky Matsubara from El Sobrante, California · CC BY 2.0
White-bellied Bustard (Eupodotis senegalensis), photo 7
Photo: gailhampshire from Cradley, Malvern, U.K · CC BY 2.0
White-bellied Bustard (Eupodotis senegalensis), photo 8
Photo: Becky Matsubara from El Sobrante, California · CC BY 2.0
White-bellied Bustard (Eupodotis senegalensis), photo 9
Photo: --Xocolatl (talk) 19:03, 26 April 2010 (UTC) · Public domain

What the White-bellied Bustard sounds like

Sonogram of the White-bellied Bustard: time runs left to right, pitch bottom to top, and the brighter the mark the louder the sound.
Recorded by paulo kivuyo · Call · Ikoma, Serengeti, Mara Region, Tanzania · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via xeno-canto

ID tip

It is one of the smaller bustards, 48 to 61 centimetres (19 to 24 in) long. All are tawny brown above and on the breast and white on the belly, with cream-coloured legs; juveniles have light brown necks and heads, and adults have blue-grey necks. The adult female has a grey crown, a brown and buff line below the eye, and black speckling on the throat. The adult male has a black crown, black lines on the white cheeks, a black throat patch, and a pinkish-red bill. This species exhibits sexual dimorphism; the males are larger than the females. Voice: The white-bellied bustard's calls can be heard year-round, mostly at dusk or dawn or during rainfall. Both males and females vocalize. The most recognizable of its sounds is a croaking call (a guttural "kuk-kur-ruk" or "kuk-kaaah"), which is used in territorial defense among other purposes.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

When to see the White-bellied Bustard

One bar for each month, and every month is filled: this bird is recorded here in all twelve. The wide bar is November, the month with the most records.

Where to see the White-bellied Bustard

Regular rangeRare visitor

The map shades 18 countries with regular records, and 3 more in a lighter tone where the bird turns up only as a stray. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.

Kenya South Africa Tanzania Ethiopia Nigeria Zambia Uganda Senegal Benin Congo - Brazzaville Gabon Cameroon Eswatini Somalia Ghana South Sudan United Arab Emirates Niger

Recorded as a rare visitor in Angola, Burkina Faso, Mauritania.

About the White-bellied Bustard

The white-bellied bustard or white-bellied korhaan is an African species of bustard. It is widespread in sub-Saharan Africa in grassland and open woodland habitats. Despite its wide distribution and easily identifiable characteristics, very few studies have been conducted on this species and little is known about its life history and behavior.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Easily confused with

Blue Korhaan (Eupodotis caerulescens) Blue KorhaanEupodotis caerulescensKorhaans are ground-dwelling birds with sturdy bodies, large heads and long necks, long legs and short toes.

Side by side: Blue Korhaan vs White-bellied Bustard

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