houbara

[ hoo-bahr-uh ]

noun

1. a bustard, Chlamydotis undulata, of northern Africa and western Asia, having long black and white plumes on each side of the neck.

Word History and Origins

Origin of houbara¹

First recorded in 1820–30, houbara is from the Arabic word hubārā

Example Sentences

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

A man on a motorbike is paid to tour the vicinity spotting houbara bustards, so the sheikh doesn't have to drive too far.

From BBC

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

The hunting of houbara bustards, also known as Asian houbaras, has long been a contentious issue.

From BBC

But falconry is the sport of kings in the Gulf and there were flocks of the falcons' prey, the Houbara bustard, in the empty expanse of southern Iraq.

From BBC