Birds · Otidiformes · Otididae

Little Bustard

Tetrax tetrax

Near Threatened

It could become endangered in the near future if current threats go unchecked. See full glossary

The little bustard is an otidiform bird of the family Otididae, the only species in the genus Tetrax. It is native to the south-west of the Palaearctic. Its Spanish name comes from the sound of its flight, as it gives out a kind of continuous whistle as it beats its wings, caused by one of the outer feathers being shorter than the rest. In January 2017 it was chosen bird of the year by SEO/BirdLife to draw attention to the sharp decline of its populations in recent years.

Weight

600 g – 1.1 kg

Size

40 cm – 45 cm

Lifespan

10 years

Diet

Omnivore

Combines animal and plant food depending on availability.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Sighting difficulty

Moderate

GrasslandOmnivore Diurnal Near Threatened Bird Grassland

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Fun facts

GeneralThe males give a dry snort and leap straight up to display; the species is in steep decline.
Spain holds around half the world population, and its decline here determines the species' global future: it is probably the European steppe bird in the worst state.
The male performs an explosive display in which he leaps vertically from the grass with a dry snort, visible at a great distance across the plain, and repeats the jump every few minutes for hours.
Its primary feathers produce a characteristic whistling in flight that allows it to be identified without being seen.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bird)
Habitat & environment: Cereal steppe, fallow land, grassland and extensive farmland plains
Sexual maturity: 2 years
Gestation / incubation: 22 days of incubation
Litter / clutch size: 3 eggs

Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetrax_tetrax