Birda Logo
Features
Birda+
About
Species Guide
Challenges
Shop
loading...
A photo of a Australian Bustard (Ardeotis australis)
Australian Bustard

Australian Bustard

Ardeotis australis

The Australian bustard, Ardeotis australis, is a majestic ground-dwelling bird, reminiscent of the American turkey in stature and gait. With a stately height of about one meter and a wingspan approximately twice that length, it is the largest extant flying land bird in Australia, though it is the smallest within its genus. The males, significantly larger than females, can reach up to 1.2 meters in height and boast a wingspan of 2.3 meters, with an average weight of 6.3 kilograms.

Identification Tips

This species exhibits sexual dimorphism, with females being smaller in both size and weight. The plumage is predominantly brown with black and white patterning on the wing coverts, visible both at rest and in flight. A distinctive black band separates the white abdomen from the pale grey neck. The long legs are yellow to cream, and the iris is notably white.

Habitat

The Australian bustard favors open grasslands, spinifex plains, and low shrublands. It is also known to venture into denser vegetation post-fire and can be observed in human-modified landscapes such as farmlands and golf courses.

Distribution

The bird's range spans across northern Australia and occasionally reaches southern Papua New Guinea and Indonesia. However, its presence has receded in the southeast of Australia.

Behaviour

The Australian bustard is a nomadic species, capable of long-distance flights to exploit areas of food abundance. It is generally solitary or seen in pairs, walking with a deliberate pace. When threatened, it may adopt a cryptic stance or take flight with heavy wingbeats. During the breeding season, males perform a flamboyant display, expanding a neck sac and emitting deep, booming calls.

Song & Calls

The male's courtship call is a deep, resonant "who-o-o-o," part of a display that includes an impressive visual performance.

Breeding

The species lays one, sometimes two, eggs directly on the ground without constructing a nest. The eggs are olive-brown with blotching, and incubation is solely the female's responsibility. Chicks are precocial and rely on their mottled down for camouflage.

Diet and Feeding

An omnivorous bird, the Australian bustard's diet includes seeds, fruits, insects like grasshoppers, as well as small vertebrates such as lizards, young birds, and rodents.

Conservation status

The IUCN lists the Australian bustard as Least Concern, with a declining population trend. It is sensitive to human and livestock disturbance at breeding sites and has seen a contraction in its southeastern range due to various threats.

Similar Species

There are no similar species within its range, making the Australian bustard quite distinctive in its native habitat.

Cultural references

The Australian bustard holds cultural significance for Aboriginal peoples, who refer to it as the bush turkey and use it as a food source and in ceremonial practices. It features in Dreaming stories and is represented in indigenous art.

App logo
Birda is a birdwatching app and community aimed at curious people who want to deepen their connection with nature.

Australian Bustards on Birda

Photos
Sightings

More Bustards

A photo of a Southern Black Korhaan (Afrotis afra) , male

Southern Black Korhaan

Afrotis afra
Birda Logo

Your birdwatching journey like never before

Connect with nature in minutes
Take a walk, look out of the window and log the birds that you see. Feel good about those little connections to nature.
Discover the joy of birding
Find new birding spots, see more birds, share and celebrate with a like-minded community of nature lovers.
Play your part in saving nature
Logging your birding sightings and sessions turns into positive action for our planet. Every sighting counts.

Birda Blog

What Our Birders Say
Marlster24
Recommend for any bird watcher
Very wholesome app: I joined this app with a new interest in watching birds to help me find out what I was spotting. The community is very active in helping identify birds which is great and everyone is very kind so it’s just a nice wholesome community. I would definitely recommend this for any bird spotter πŸ˜ƒ
Stewart W
Fantastic to be involved
Fantastic to be involved, great for mental health and gets you responding with the Challenges that are to takd part in.
Alice J
Awesome Birding Community
I absolutely love the community aspect of this app. The app is so user friendly and has fun interactive challenges to get you out birding. I’ve tried others but since I’ve started using Birda I’ve not gone back!
Hip An
Fantastic
Really enjoying Birda where I live i have a lot of Red kites really hard to photograph but I can video are you planning some place on the app where us Birda can post vidsπŸ¦‰πŸ¦…
Viperray5
Loving it
I really enjoy being able to interact with other birders on this platform! This seems like a great way to meet other birders and find some new spots.
Paul F
Very good database
Highly recommend. It great that this app shows you male Vs female variations when posting. Very good database I'm really impressed.
Patricia L
Very encouraging birding app
Easy to use, fun to see progress and encouraging to receive feedback from other users.
Marlster24
Very Wholesome App
Joined this app with a new interest in watching birds to help me find out what I was spotting. The community is very active in helping identify birds which is great and everyone is very kind so it’s just a nice wholesome community. I would definitely recommend this for any bird spotter πŸ˜„
Foxgirl100
Great app for beginner twitchers
I’ve had a passion of photographing birds for a long time now but have only just gotten into proper birdwatching, and this app is brilliant for those just getting started. There is a great sense of community among users and the app is very easy to use and professional. Awesome app altogether
Ellesse_W
Learning Birding with Birda
I’m relatively new to birding as a hobby, and Birda is a great way to keep track off all the species I see. I’m still working on my ID skills, but the app is great for figuring out potential species, and the online community is so friendly and helpful. Definitely recommend Birda to both early and serious birders! 🐦
As featured in
Birda Logo
AboutPressAmbassadorsAffiliatesInfluencersCareersPrivacyTerms & Conditions
An app for birdwatchers
Connect with us
Copyright Β© 2024 Chirp Birding. All rights reserved.