The black bellied bustard is an amazing bird.  It is an Ground Dwelling, medium sized bird.  It is sometimes called the Black bellied korhaan.  Sometimes authorities place it in the genus Eupodotis also.  It belongs in the bustard family. The black bellied bustard is in the family otididae with the cranes and rails.  Bustards and people do not come in contact except for when bustards are game.  

 

Black Bellied bustards are 23-26 inches long and have dull yellow bill and legs.  The males upper body has black and brown markings on a tawny background.  The head has black, white, and buff patterns.  The necks are long and black, they join together with the breast on the right side.  The females are plain bluff with black markings on the back, neck, and breast.  The females tend to be about 6 inches shorter than the males, but not always.

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The Black Bellied Bustards are very populated.  On the scale of conservation they are least concerned about being extinct. They live in open landscapes in South America, Australia, Europe, and mostly Africa.  They prefer to be in an area where it has a lot water, or rains a lot.  The population size is unknown, but they know the population trend is decreasing.

 

The Black Bellied Bustards diet consists of grasshoppers, crickets, and other insects.  If necessary, they will eat seeds, small vertebrates, and local herbs.  They get eaten by leopards and bigger eagles. Younger bustards like to eat things such as berries, small fruits, and flowers.

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As you can see, the black bellied bustard is an interesting animal of the desert plains.  I personally think they are an amazing animal and hope you I them. I would recommend looking into these birds. They are awesome!

 

Author: Beau W

Date Published: February 2014

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Sources: http://www.biodiversityexplorer.org/birds/otitidae/lissotis_melanogaster.htm  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-bellied_Bustard http://www.arkive.org/black-bellied-bustard/eupodotis-melanogaster/photos.html