Characteristics
©Joerg Mager
The Little Bustard is a medium-sized bird of 42–45 cm long with a 90–110 cm wingspan. Breeding males exhibit brown upperparts and white underparts, with a grey head and a black neck bordered by white above and below. The females and immature males are comparatively darker below than the breeding males.
Habitat & Distribution
Their habitat is open grassland and unaltered crops with plants tall enough to hide. The European Population numbers stand between 194,000 and 280,000 mature individuals, mostly resident in France, Spain, and Portugal. Habitat loss and intensive agriculture practices threaten their survival and population.
Threats
Previous Species
Little Bustards are highly susceptible to collision with power lines due to their limited field of vision, restricted flight maneuverability, tendency to gather in groups, and fast flight speed. Additionally, they can start flight vertically from the ground, adding another dimension to their risk.
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