Little Bustard

Little Bustard

Taxobox
name = Little Bustard


image_width = 220px
image_caption = Male
status = NT
status_system = iucn3.1
trend = down
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Aves
ordo = Gruiformes
familia = Otidae
genus = "Tetrax"
genus_authority = Forster, 1817

species = "T. tetrax"
binomial = "Tetrax tetrax"
binomial_authority = (Linnaeus, 1758)

The Little Bustard, "Tetrax tetrax", is a large bird in the bustard family, the only member of the genus "Tetrax". It breeds in southern and central Europe and into western and central Asia. Southernmost European birds are mainly resident, but other populations migrate further south in winter.

This species is declining due to habitat loss throughout its range. It used to breed more widely, for example ranging north to Poland occasionally (Tomek & Bocheński 2005). It is only a very rare vagrant to Great Britain despite breeding in France.

Although the smallest Palearctic bustard, Little Bustard is still pheasant-sized at 45 cm long with a 90 cm wingspan. In flight, the long wings are extensively white. The breeding male is brown above and white below, with a grey head and a black neck bordered above and below by white.

The female and non-breeding male lack the dramatic neck pattern, and the female is marked darker below than the male. Immature bustards resemble females. Both sexes are usually silent, although the male has a distinctive "raspberry-blowing" call "prrt".

This species is omnivorous, taking seeds, insects and other small creatures. Like other bustards, the male Little Bustard has a flamboyant display with foot stamping and leaping in the air. Females lay 3 to 5 eggs on the ground.

This bird's habitat is open grassland and undisturbed cultivation, with plants tall enough for cover. It has a stately slow walk, and tends to run when disturbed rather than fly. It is gregarious, especially in winter.

References

* Database entry includes a brief justification of why this species is near threatened

* Tomek, Teresa & Bocheński, Zygmunt (2005): Weichselian and Holocene bird remains from Komarowa Cave, Central Poland. "Acta zoologica cracoviensia" 48A(1-2): 43-65. [http://www.ingentaconnect.com/search/download?pub=infobike%3a%2f%2fisez%2fazc%2f2005%2f00000048%2fF0020001%2fart00005&mimetype=application%2fpdf PDF fulltext]

External links

* [http://www.oiseaux.net/oiseaux/photos/outarde.canepetiere.html Oiseaux] Photos.


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • little bustard — bustard us tard (b[u^]s t[ e]rd), n. [OF. & Prov. F. bistarde, F. outarde, from L. avis tarda, lit., slow bird. Plin. 10, 22; proxim[ae] iis sunt, quas Hispania aves tardas appellat, Gr[ae]cia wti das. ] (Zo[ o]l.) A bird of the genus {Otis}.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • little bustard — strepetas statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas atitikmenys: lot. Otis tetrax; Tetrax tetrax angl. little bustard vok. Zwergtrappe, f rus. стрепет, m pranc. outarde canepetière, f ryšiai: platesnis terminas – strepetai sinonimas – mažasis einis …   Paukščių pavadinimų žodynas

  • little bustard — strepetai statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas atitikmenys: lot. Tetrax angl. little bustard vok. Zwergtrappe, f rus. стрепет, m pranc. outarde canepetière, f ryšiai: platesnis terminas – eininiai siauresnis terminas – strepetas …   Paukščių pavadinimų žodynas

  • little bustard — noun : a bustard (Otis tetrax) of Mediterranean countries …   Useful english dictionary

  • bustard — us tard (b[u^]s t[ e]rd), n. [OF. & Prov. F. bistarde, F. outarde, from L. avis tarda, lit., slow bird. Plin. 10, 22; proxim[ae] iis sunt, quas Hispania aves tardas appellat, Gr[ae]cia wti das. ] (Zo[ o]l.) A bird of the genus {Otis}. [1913… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Bustard — Bustards Kori Bustard Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia …   Wikipedia

  • bustard — /bus teuhrd/, n. any of several large, chiefly terrestrial and ground running birds of the family Otididae, of the Old World and Australia, related to the cranes. [1425 75; late ME, appar. b. MF bistarde (OIt bistarda) and MF oustarde, both < L… …   Universalium

  • Little Brown Bustard — Conservation status Near Threatened (IUCN 3.1) Scientific classification …   Wikipedia

  • bearded bustard — bustard us tard (b[u^]s t[ e]rd), n. [OF. & Prov. F. bistarde, F. outarde, from L. avis tarda, lit., slow bird. Plin. 10, 22; proxim[ae] iis sunt, quas Hispania aves tardas appellat, Gr[ae]cia wti das. ] (Zo[ o]l.) A bird of the genus {Otis}.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • little brown bustard — rudasis einis statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas atitikmenys: lot. Eupodotis humilis angl. little brown bustard vok. Somalitrappe, f rus. бурая малая дрофа, f pranc. outarde somalienne, f ryšiai: platesnis terminas – mažieji einiai …   Paukščių pavadinimų žodynas

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