Heuglin's bustard is a species of bird in the bustard family.
Region
Horn of Africa
Typical Environment
Found patchily across arid plains, open thorn scrub, and lightly grassed savannas in eastern Ethiopia, Djibouti, Eritrea, and adjacent Somaliland/Somalia. It favors flat to gently undulating terrain with scattered shrubs and short grasses, often avoiding dense cover. Birds are typically resident, shifting locally with rainfall and vegetation growth. It is most often seen singly or in small groups in remote, lightly disturbed areas.
Altitude Range
0–1800 m
Climate Zone
Arid
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Heuglin's bustard is a medium-sized bustard of the arid and semi-arid lowlands of the Horn of Africa. Like many bustards, it is wary and often detected when it flushes with heavy wingbeats from open scrub or grassland. Males perform ground displays during the breeding season, and the species nests on the ground with very camouflaged eggs. Habitat loss and hunting pressure can affect local populations.
Temperament
solitary and wary
Flight Pattern
powerful take-off with deep, steady wingbeats; short glides
Social Behavior
Usually solitary or in small loose groups; males display on open ground during the breeding season. The nest is a simple ground scrape, typically with one or two well-camouflaged eggs. The female incubates and tends the chicks, which are precocial and mobile soon after hatching.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Generally quiet, but males give low, booming or gruff calls during display. Alarm notes are harsh croaks or clucks, often delivered before flushing.
Plumage
Sandy-brown upperparts heavily mottled and vermiculated, with paler buff underparts and a darker, often dusky breast area. The neck and head show contrasting pale buff and brown tones, with fine streaking. In flight, the wings reveal bold white patches contrasting with dark flight feathers.
Diet
An opportunistic omnivore taking seeds, green shoots, bulbs, and other plant matter, along with insects such as beetles, grasshoppers, and termites. It will also consume small reptiles and other invertebrates when available. Foraging is mostly by walking slowly and picking items from the ground or low vegetation.
Preferred Environment
Feeds in open scrub, lightly grazed grasslands, and semi-desert plains with scattered bushes. Often uses edges of tracks or sparsely vegetated flats where prey is easier to spot.
