Great Indian bustard
Great Indian bustard | |
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At Naliya grasslands, Kutch , India
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Breeding call recorded in Great Indian Bustard Sanctuary at Nanaj in Solapur district of Maharashtra, India | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Otidiformes |
Family: | Otididae |
Genus: | Ardeotis |
Species: | A. nigriceps
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Binomial name | |
Ardeotis nigriceps (Vigors, 1831)
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Points where the species has been recorded. Once widespread, the species is today found mainly in central and western India. | |
Synonyms | |
Choriotis nigriceps, Eupodotis edwardsi, Otis nigriceps |
The great Indian bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps) or Indian bustard is a
Description
The great Indian bustard is a large ground bird with a height of about one metre. It is unmistakable with its black cap contrasting with the pale head and neck. The body is brownish with a black patch spotted in white. The male is deep sandy buff coloured and during the breeding season has a black breast band. The crown of the head is black and crested and is puffed up by displaying males. In the female which is smaller than the male, the head and neck are not pure white and the breast band is either rudimentary, broken or absent.[2]
Measurements | |||
---|---|---|---|
All populations[2][3] | |||
Length | 1,000–1,070 mm (39.4–42.1 in) | ||
760–830 mm (29.9–32.7 in) | |||
Culmen | 85–95 mm (3.3–3.7 in) | ||
Wing | 614–762 mm (24.2–30.0 in) | ||
460–540 mm (18.1–21.3 in) | |||
Tail | 330–380 mm (13.0–15.0 in) | ||
245–270 mm (9.6–10.6 in) | |||
Head | 170–180 mm (6.7–7.1 in) | ||
145–155 mm (5.7–6.1 in) | |||
Weight | 8–14.5 kg (17.6–32.0 lb) | ||
2.5–6.75 kg (5.5–14.9 lb) | |||
Foot | 275–300 mm (10.8–11.8 in) | ||
225–245 mm (8.9–9.6 in) |
Among bustards, this species is smaller only than the Kori bustard and the great bustard in size. It is also the largest land bird in its native range. The great Indian bustard stands at about 1 m (3 ft 3 in) tall, having a somewhat long neck and quite long legs.[3] The female as in most members of the bustard family are typically considerably smaller.[4]
Males have a well-developed
Abnormally leucistic or near albino birds have been reported.[6]
Distribution and habitat
This species was formerly widespread in India and Pakistan.[4] In India, it historically occurred in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Today the bustard is restricted to isolated pockets in Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan (shared with Pakistan).[7]
Today, it occurs in
It lives in arid and semi-arid grasslands, open country with thorn scrub, tall grass interspersed with cultivation. It avoids irrigated areas.[2] The major areas where it is known to breed are in central and western India and eastern Pakistan. The dry semi-desert regions where it was found in parts of Rajasthan has been altered by irrigation canals that have transformed the region into an intensively farmed area.[14]
Behaviour and ecology
The great Indian bustard is
The male is
Great Indian bustards make local movements but these are not well understood; flocks disperse after the monsoon.[23]
Breeding occurs between March and September, when the inflated fluffy white feathers of the male are inflated and displayed. Territorial fights between males may involve strutting next to each other, leaping against each other with legs against each other and landing down to lock the opponent's head under their neck.[24] During courtship display, the male inflates the gular sac which opens under the tongue, inflating it so that a large wobbly bag appears to hang down from the neck. The tail is held cocked up over the body. The male also raises the tail and folds it on its back. The male periodically produces a resonant deep, booming call that may be heard for nearly 500m.[2][3] The female lays a single egg in an unlined scrape on the ground.[4][25] Only the females are involved in incubation and care of the young. The eggs are at risk of destruction from other animals particularly ungulates and crows.[3] Females may use a distraction display that involves flying zigzag with dangling legs.[3]
Threats
The great Indian bustard is listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List since 2011.[1] It has been extirpated in 90% of its former range, and the population was estimated at perhaps fewer than 250 individuals in 2008.[1] The main threats are hunting and habitat loss. In the past they were heavily hunted for their meat and for sport and, today, poaching of the species may continue. In some places, such as Rajasthan, increased irrigation by the Indira Gandhi canal has led to increased agriculture and the altered habitat has led to the disappearance of the species from these regions.[26] Current threats to the species include the development of
At Ranibennur Blackbuck Sanctuary, habitat changes have affected wildlife populations. In the 1950s, the scrub forest was replaced with Eucalyptus plantations. These helped wildlife when the trees were short but after their extensive growth they made the adjoining grassland less favourable for bustards.[30][31]
Attempts to breed them in captivity in the 1970s failed.[32]
Conservation
The state of Rajasthan initiated "Project Great Indian Bustard" on World Environment Day 2013, identifying and fencing off bustard breeding grounds in existing protected areas as well as provide secure breeding enclosures in areas outside protected areas.[33]
In 2020, nine chicks were incubated successfully creating a world record.[34]
Evolution
The variability in mitochondrial DNA of the great Indian bustard showed low genetic diversity in 63 samples collected in five Indian states. This indicates a historical population reduction estimated to have happened about 20–40,000 years ago.[35]
In culture
The Mughal emperor Babur noted that "[while] the flesh of the leg of some fowls, and of the breast of others is excellent; the flesh of every part of the Kharchal is delicious".[36][37] The great Indian bustard was however a cryptic and wary bird making it a challenge for sportsmen, who had to stalk carefully (sometimes using covered bullock carts[38]) to get within range.[39] British soldiers in India considered it a delicacy and the species was among the top game-birds. William Henry Sykes notes that they were common in the Deccan region where a "gentleman" had shot a thousand birds.[40][41] Stuart Baker however noted that this may have been an exaggeration.[4] Jerdon noted that subadults and females had tastier flesh than males while Salim Ali notes that feeding on Mylabris (now Hycleus) tainted their flesh.[3][42][43]
Tribal
The name hoom is used in parts of Maharashtra and is derived from the low booming call. The sharp barking alarm call leads to its name of hookna in some parts of northern India.[4] It is known in some other parts as Gaganbher or Gurayin for the resemblance of other calls to thunder or the roar of a tiger.[45]
When the "national bird" of India was under consideration, the great Indian bustard was a proposed candidate (strongly supported by the Indian ornithologist
References
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- ^ a b c d Rasmussen, P.C.; Anderton, J.C. (2005). Birds of South Asia: The Ripley Guide. Vol. 2. Smithsonian Institution & Lynx Edicions. p. 148.
- ^ ISBN 0-19-565935-X.
- ^ a b c d e f Baker, E.C.S. (1929). The Fauna of British India, Including Ceylon and Burma. Vol. 6 (Second ed.). pp. 64–66.
- ^ a b Hume, A.O.; Marshall, C.H.T. (1879). Game birds of India, Burmah and Ceylon. Vol. 1. pp. 7–11.
- ^ Vijayarajji (1926). "An albino bustard (Eupoditis edwarsi)". Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. 31 (2): 526.
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- ^ Kasambe, R.; Pimplapure, A.; Thosar, G. & Shad, M.S.R. (2007). "Sighting records of Great Indian Bustards Ardeotis nigriceps in Vidarbha". Newsletter for Birdwatchers. 46 (6): 88–90.
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- ^ Kulkarni, B.S. (1981). "Ecology and behavior of Great Indian Bustard". Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. 78 (2): 375–377.
- ^ Manakadan, R.; Rahmani, A.R. (1989). "Rollapadu Wildlife Sanctuary, with special reference to the Great Indian Bustard Ardeotis nigriceps (Vigors)". Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. 86 (3): 369–380.
- ^ "Houbara Foundation conducts survey for Great Indian Bustard". Pakistan Today. 2013. Retrieved 13 Jan 2014.
- ^ a b Khan, A.A.; Khaliq, I.; Choudhry, M.J.I.; Farooq, A. & Hussain, N. (2008). "Status, threats and conservation of the Great Indian Bustard Ardeotis nigriceps (Vigors) in Pakistan" (PDF). Current Science. 95 (8): 1079–1082. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-06-05.
- ^ Gupta, P.D. (1975). "Stomach contents of the Great Indian Bustard Choriotis nigriceps (Vigors)". Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. 71 (2): 303–304.
- ^ Bhushan, B.; Rahmani, A.R. (1992). "Food and feeding behaviour of the Great Indian Bustard Ardeotis nigriceps (Vigors)". Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. 89 (1): 27–40.
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- ^ Dharmakumarsinhji, K.S. (1963). "Rearing Great Indian Bustards (Choriotis nigriceps)". Avicultural Magazine. 69 (2): 45–48.
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- ^ Stuart Baker, E.C. (1921). Game birds of India, Burma and Ceylon. Vol. 2. Bombay Natural History Society. pp. 164–185.
- ^ Morales, M.B.; Jiguet, F.; Arroyo, B. (2001). "Exploded leks: What bustards can teach us" (PDF). Ardeola. 48 (1): 85–98.
- ^ Rahmani, A. R.; Manakadan, R. (1986). "Movement and flock composition of the Great Indian Bustard Ardeotis nigriceps (Vigors) at Nanaj, Solapur district, Maharashtra, India". Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. 83 (1): 17–31.
- ^ Joshua, J.; Gokula, V.; Sunderraj, S.F.W. (2005). "Territorial fighting behaviour of Great Indian Bustard Ardeotis nigriceps". Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. 102 (1): 114–115.
- ^ Hume, A.O. (1890). The nests and eggs of the birds of India. Vol. 3. R. H. Porter. pp. 375–378.
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- ^ Raman, T. R.S.; Madhusudan, M.D. (2015). Goswami, M. N.; Chaudhry, P. (eds.). Current ecological concerns in the power sector: options to avoid or minimise impacts (Report). An Epochal Shift in the Idea of India-Meeting aspirations? IPPAI Knowledge Report, Independent Power Producers Association of India, New Delhi. pp. 89–100.
- ^ Dutta, Sutirtha (2016). "Bijli, sadak, paani and bustard". Indian Express. Retrieved 2016-09-10.
- ^ Khan, A.A.; Khaliq, I.; Choudhry, M.J. I.; Farooq, A. & Hussain, N. (2008). "Status, threats and conservation of the Great Indian Bustard Ardeotis nigriceps (Vigors) in Pakistan (1079)" (PDF). Current Science. 95 (8): 1079–1082.
- ^ Neginhal, S.G. (1980). "Ecological impact of afforestation at the Ranibennur Blackbuck Sanctuary". Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. 75: 1254–1258.
- ^ Kumara, H.N.; Raj, V.V.M. (2007). "The Great Indian Bustard Ardeotis nigriceps" Are they disappearing in Karnataka". Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. 104 (2): 211–212.
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- ^ Shrivastava, K.S. (2013). "Rajasthan announces Project Great Indian Bustard". Down To Earth. Retrieved 7 June 2013.
- ^ "India Succeeds in Breeding the 'Critically Endangered' Great Indian Bustard; Creates World Record". The Weather Channel. 1 January 2020. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
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- ^ Ali, S. (1927). "The Moghul emperors of India as naturalists and sportsmen. Part 2". Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. 32 (1): 34–63.
- ^ Beveridge, A.S. (1922). The Babur-nama in English. Vol. 2. p. 498.
- ^ Russell, C.E.M. (1900). Bullet and shot in Indian forest, plain and hill. W. Thacker and Co, London. pp. 381–382.
- ^ Brown, J.M. (1887). Shikar sketches. Hurst and Blackett. pp. 33–34.
- ^ Frost, J. (1854). The Pictorial Family Encyclopaedia of History, Biography and Travels. Miller Orton and Mulligan. pp. 95–96.
- ^ Sykes, W.H. (1832). "Catalogue of Birds of the Rasorial, Grallatorial and Natatorial Orders, observed in the Dukhun". Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London (Part 2): 149–172.
- ^ Jerdon, T.C. (1864). The birds of India. Vol. 3. George Wyman & Co. pp. 607–611.
- ^ Oates, E.W. (1898). A manual of the game birds of India. Part 1. A. J. Combridge & Co. pp. 399–404.
- ^ Simcox, A.H.A. (1913). "The Great Indian Bustard Eupodotis edwardsi". Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. 22 (1): 201.
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- ^ Ali, S. (1961). "Our national bird". Newsletter for Birdwatchers. 1 (4): 3–4.
- ^ Ali, S. (1962). "National bird". Newsletter for Birdwatchers. 1 (6): 4.
- ^ Bindra, P.S. (2009). "On the brink". Tehelka Magazine. 6 (16). Archived from the original on 2010-01-31.
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Other sources
- Bhushan, B. (1985) The food and feeding behaviour of the Great Indian Bustard Choriotis nigriceps (Vigors). Class Aves: Otididae. M.Sc. dissertation. University of Bombay, Bombay.
- Dharmakumarsinhji RS(1957) Ecological study of the Great Indian Bustard Ardeotis nigriceps( Vigors)[ Aves : Otididae] in Kathiawar Peninsula, western India. J. Zool. Soc. India 9:139-52.
- Dharmakumarsinhji, RS (1962) Display, posturing and behaviour of the Great Indian Bustard Choriotis nigriceps (Vigors). Proc. 2nd All-India Congress. Zoology. Part 2:277-283