Great Indian Bustard
Ardeotis nigriceps
CRCritically Endangered Endemic to India
- Family
- Bustards (Otididae)
- Order
- Otidiformes
Overview
The great Indian bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps) or Indian bustard is a bustard occurring on the Indian subcontinent. It is a large bird with a horizontal body, long bare legs and is among the heaviest of the flying birds. Once common on the dry grasslands and shrubland in India, as few as 150 individuals were estimated to survive as of 2018, reduced from an estimated 250 individuals in 2011. It is critically endangered due to hunting and habitat loss.
Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Range and habitat
Semiarid grassland of northwestern and central India; now very rare and mostly survives in Rajasthan.
Range description: AviList Global Avian Checklist.
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Great Indian bustard
- eBird: sightings, maps and photos
- xeno-canto: sound recordings
- Birds of the World: full species account (subscription)
- BirdLife DataZone: status and threats
- IUCN Red List (threat status)
- AviList global checklist (taxonomy)
Last updated September 29, 2026.
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