Post by AussieSurvival on Sept 20, 2008 10:52:06 GMT 9.5
Australian Bustard ( Ardeotis australis )
Description
The Australian Bustard is a large ground dwelling bird from open country. Male much larger than female. The male has an elaborate display where he puffs up his neck into a balloon shape and expands his chest sac so that it drops nearly to the ground. As he dances from side to side, his drooping chest sac sways from side to side. To complete the display he fans his tail over his back and makes a booming/croaking kind of sound.
Size
0.8 - 1.5m tall. Wingspan 1.6 - 2.0m
Environment
Grasslands, farmland, light scrub.
Food
seeds, fruit, mice, small reptiles
Breeding
1 or 2 buff eggs laid on bare ground
Range
Common away from built up areas.
Conservation Status
The conservation status in the 2004 IUCN Red List of Threatened Animals is "lower risk/near threatened".
Description
The Australian Bustard is a large ground dwelling bird from open country. Male much larger than female. The male has an elaborate display where he puffs up his neck into a balloon shape and expands his chest sac so that it drops nearly to the ground. As he dances from side to side, his drooping chest sac sways from side to side. To complete the display he fans his tail over his back and makes a booming/croaking kind of sound.
Size
0.8 - 1.5m tall. Wingspan 1.6 - 2.0m
Environment
Grasslands, farmland, light scrub.
Food
seeds, fruit, mice, small reptiles
Breeding
1 or 2 buff eggs laid on bare ground
Range
Common away from built up areas.
Conservation Status
The conservation status in the 2004 IUCN Red List of Threatened Animals is "lower risk/near threatened".