bustard

The Kori bustard Ardeotis kori is the largest member of the bustard family, measuring 130 cm/52 in in length. Bustards live in groups on grassy plains in South and East Africa, feeding on seeds, buds, insects, and small vertebrates. In spite of being clumsy fliers, they are powerful runners.

Bird of the family Otididae, order Gruiformes, related to cranes but with a rounder body, thicker neck, and a relatively short beak. Bustards are found on the ground on open plains and fields.

The great bustard Otis tarda is one of the heaviest flying birds at 18 kg/40 lb, and the larger males may have a length of 1 m/3 ft and wingspan of 2.3 m/7.5 ft. It is found in northern Asia and Europe, although there are fewer than 30,000 great bustards left in Europe; two-thirds of these live on the Spanish steppes.