Bustard

Bustard, common name for any of 23 species of the family of birds found in Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia; they are stocky, with long necks, heavy bills, and long, powerful legs with the rear toe absent. The plumage is brown to gray, often with darker bars or spots. A large pouch opens under the tongue and extends down the front of the neck; possibly it is used for display during courtship. The female lays one to five eggs and tends the young alone. The birds are omnivorous feeders.

The great bustard is one of the largest flying birds, with a wingspread of up to 2.4 m (8 ft), and it weighs as much as 14.5 kg (32 lb). Formerly it ranged over a large part of Europe, but it has been overhunted and is becoming rare. A slow but powerful flyer, it prefers to run from danger. The little bustard is found on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. Other species include the Kori bustard of southern Africa and the florican of India.

Scientific classification: Bustards make up the family Otididae of the order Gruiformes. The great bustard is classified as Otis tarda, the little bustard as Tetrax tetrax, and the Kori bustard as Choriotis kori. Floricans are classified in the genera Houbaropsis and Sypheotides.