bustard

American  

[buhs-terd] / ˈbʌs tərd /

noun

1. any of several large, chiefly terrestrial and ground-running birds of the family Otididae, of the Old World and Australia, related to the cranes.

---

bustard British  

/ ˈbʌstəd /

noun

1. any terrestrial bird of the family Otididae , inhabiting open regions of the Old World: order Gruiformes (cranes, rails, etc). They have long strong legs, a heavy body, a long neck, and speckled plumage

---

Etymology

Origin of bustard

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English, apparently blend of Middle French bistarde ( Old Italian bistarda ) and Middle French oustarde, both from Latin avis tarda (Pliny) literally, “slow bird,” though tarda may be a non- Latin word, taken erroneously as feminine of tardus

Example Sentences

The great Indian bustard also has unique breeding habits.

From BBC • Nov. 7, 2024

An article published in the journal Biological Conservation reveals how cooperation between different actors is key to finding answers and avoiding the decline of the most threatened populations of the little bustard.

From Science Daily • Jan. 18, 2024

Nomadic people used the birds to hunt prey such as the Houbara bustard, a large, fast bird that has been hunted so aggressively it is now an endangered species in Qatar.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 16, 2022

Numerous private parties began travelling from the Gulf to hunt the houbara bustard, a migratory bird that comes to the south-west of Balochistan in winter.

From BBC • Mar. 27, 2021

Bitterns used to boom and breed in the bog, and once, though only once, a great bustard was shot.

From The Confessions of a Poacher by Anonymous