Black-bellied bustard
| Black-bellied bustard | ||||||||||
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Black-bellied bustard ( Lissotis melanogaster ) |
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| Lissotis melanogaster | ||||||||||
| ( Rüppell , 1835) | ||||||||||
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The black-bellied bustard ( Lissotis melanogaster ) is an African species from the family of bustards (Otididae). It inhabits a large part of the savannahs of Africa and is the most common bustard species in many places.
description
Both males and females reach a length of about 60 cm. At 1800–2700 g, the males are significantly heavier than the approximately 1400 g heavy females. The top is yellow-brown or sand-colored with large, dark arrow-shaped spots. The tail is brown and has four thin horizontal stripes. The face is grayish-white and adorned with contrasting black-and-white drawings, the comb and cheeks are mottled yellow-brown. A black line with a white border runs down the otherwise predominantly brown neck to the black belly. The coloration on the trunk and tail is similar to that on the back. The beak and legs are yellow. The black-bellied bustard is generally more brownish than the similar hard-leaved bustard . In the female, the head and neck are almost devoid of any markings and are light yellowish-brown.
Subspecies and distribution
There are two subspecies of the black-bellied bustard:
- Lissotis melanogaster melanogaster ( Rüppell , 1835) - Africa south of the Sahel . South to the Zambezi and northern Angola. Missing in the tropical rainforests of Central Africa and the Horn of Africa.
- Lissotis melanogaster notophila Oberholser , 1905 - Zimbabwe and Mozambique south of the Zambezi, and in easternmost South Africa ; larger than L. m. melanogaster
habitat
The black-bellied bustard mostly lives in high, dense grassland, which is often interspersed with bushes and trees. The species is also found on cultivated land and pastures. They are mostly found near water. In the mountains, this bustard rises up to 2500 m.
Way of life
The black-bellied bustard feeds primarily on insects , apparently primarily eating beetles, but also grasshoppers, caterpillars and other arthropods that inhabit the soil or plants . In addition, seeds, flowers and run over vertebrates as well as certain herbs are eaten. Termite mounds are often used as lookouts.
The breeding season fluctuates regionally and in the northern part of the distribution area is mostly in the months of June to September, while in central and southern Africa, for example, it falls between October and March. The nest is created in a shallow hollow on bare ground and is usually located near a particular site feature, such as an anthill, a shrub or a body of water. The clutch contains 1–2 eggs, the chicks have brown and black down.
The black-bellied bustard is a migratory bird, at least in some areas. In Ghana, for example, it lives as a resident bird near Accra , while 50 km west near Winneba it only breeds in the dry season. In other areas of Ghana it seems to migrate northwards in the dry season after the breeding season. On the other hand, in other areas of the Sahel zone, the animals migrate north to breed in the rainy season.
Duration
The species is not threatened overall. In Senegal and Gambia, the populations have decreased since the 1980s, but the black-bellied bustard is still common in the rest of the savannah zone between northern Ivory Coast and Sudan. It is the most common bustard species in Uganda, Tanzania, Mozambique and Zambia and is still found in relatively large numbers in Zimbabwe.
literature
- Josep del Hoyo , Andrew Elliott, Jordi Sargatal: Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 3: Hoatzin to Auks.
Web links
- Lissotis melanogaster in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2009. Posted by: BirdLife International, 2009. Retrieved on July 4 of 2010.
- Videos, photos and sound recordings of Lissotis melanogaster in the Internet Bird Collection