The Great Indian Bustard is a heavy flying bird facing a critical survival crisis.

Cultures · Published 10 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Standing over a meter tall and weighing up to 15 kilograms, the Great Indian bustard is one of the world's heaviest flying birds. Despite its impressive stature, this critically endangered species is now clinging to survival, with only about 150 individuals remaining in the wild as of 2024.

The Great Indian bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps) is a ground-dwelling bird native to the dry grasslands and scrublands of the Indian subcontinent. These birds are physically imposing, with long legs and necks, and they can reach heights of 1.2 meters. While they are capable of flight, their massive size makes them vulnerable to unique environmental hazards, particularly collisions with overhead power lines, which they struggle to avoid due to poor frontal vision.

Their diet is opportunistic and omnivorous, shifting significantly with the seasons. During the summer monsoon, they primarily consume insects such as locusts, crickets, and beetles. As the landscape dries and cools, they shift their intake toward seeds, including wheat and peanuts, alongside small mammals and reptiles. They are not known to form pair bonds; instead, they exhibit complex mating behaviors that can include lekking, where males gather to perform for females, or solitary displays involving loud, resonant calls that can travel at least 0.5 kilometers.

The species is currently listed as critically endangered, with the largest remaining population concentrated in the Indian state of Rajasthan. Their decline is driven by a combination of habitat loss and degradation, as grasslands are converted into mechanized croplands for crops like cotton and sugarcane. Additional pressures include hunting, poaching, and the trampling of eggs by grazing cattle. In response, the Indian government launched Project Bustard in 2012, a conservation initiative modeled after the successful Project Tiger, aimed at protecting the birds and their fragile habitats from further decline.

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