Arabian bustard
Arabian bustard | |
---|---|
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Otidiformes |
Family: | Otididae |
Genus: | Ardeotis |
Species: | A. arabs
|
Binomial name | |
Ardeotis arabs | |
Synonyms | |
Otis arabs Linnaeus, 1758 |
The Arabian bustard (Ardeotis arabs) is a species of
Taxonomy
In 1743 the English naturalist
Four subspecies are recognised:[7]
- A. a. lynesi (Bannerman, 1930) – west Morocco
- A. a. stieberi (Neumann, 1907) – southwest Mauritania, Senegal and Gambia to east Sudan
- A. a. arabs (Linnaeus, 1758) – Ethiopia, Somalia, Yemen and Saudi Arabia
- A. a. butleri (Bannerman, 1930) – south Sudan
Description
As in all bustards, the male Arabian bustard is much larger than the female. Males have been found to weigh 5.7–10.9 kg (13–24 lb), while females weigh 4.5–7.7 kg (9.9–17.0 lb). The record-sized male Arabian bustard weighed 16.8 kg (37 lb). These birds stand from 70 cm (28 in) tall in females to 92 cm (36 in) tall in males.[8][9] They are fairly similar in overall appearance to the kori bustard, with a brown body, gray neck and white underside, but are noticeably smaller, with a more elegant, slender build. They are also differ in having white checkered covert pattern at the end of the folded wing, as opposed to various black-and-white patterns as seen in other large African bustards.[10]
Distribution and habitat
It occupies Semi desert and arid grassy plains, also "Acacia" woodlands.
Behaviour and ecology
The Arabian bustard is usually solitary or lives in pairs and family parties. Small flocks have been observed migrating north into the Sahel zone, to breed during the rainy season before returning south when the dry season begins. However the population in Morocco was considered sedentary, as is the population in the Arabian Peninsula.[13] On these movements the Arabian bustard has been known to migrate with Denham's bustards.[11]
The clutch size of Arabian bustards is one to two eggs, laid in a shallow scrape on the ground. The females have sole responsibility for incubation of the eggs and rearing the young. When the brood is threatened, the females has been observed to demonstrate diversionary behaviour, e.g. calling, refusing to flee, to distract potential predators from chicks.[13]
Arabian bustards are reported to catch and eat locusts, grasshoppers, beetles, reptiles, and small mammals. They have also been recorded feeding on the seeds and fruits of shrubs, such as Cordia sinensis, Grewia villosa, Salvadora persica and wild melon Citrullus as well as "Acacia" gum.[13]
Conservation
Due to its wide range, it was not considered vulnerable by IUCN, although there is believed to have been a strong decrease in the population. In 2012 the species was uplisted to
References
- ^ . Retrieved 14 November 2021.
- ^ "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 2022-01-14.
- ^ Edwards, George (1743). A Natural History of Uncommon Birds. Vol. Part 1. London: Printed for the author at the College of Physicians. p. 12, Plate 12.
- ^ Linnaeus, Carl (1758). Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis (in Latin). Vol. 1 (10th ed.). Holmiae (Stockholm): Laurentii Salvii. p. 154.
- ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4.
- ^ Le Maout, Emmanuel (1853). Histoire naturelle des oiseaux : suivant a classification de M. Isidore Geoffroy-Saint-Hilaire, avec l'indication de leurs moeurs et de leurs rapports avec les arts, le commerce et l'agriculture (in French). Paris: L. Curmer. p. 340.
- ^ Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (July 2021). "Turacos, bustards, cuckoos, mesites, sandgrouse". IOC World Bird List Version 11.2. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
- ISBN 978-0-8493-4258-5.
- ISBN 978-0-85112-235-9.
- ISBN 978-0856610790
- ^ ISBN 0-7136-3959-8.
- ^ a b "Recently recategorised species". Birdlife International (2012). Archived from the original on 14 September 2008. Retrieved 15 June 2012.
- ^ a b c "Arabian Bustard Ardeotis arabs (Linnaeus 1758)". Sahara Conservation Fund. Retrieved 15 October 2016.[permanent dead link]