Name of the animal: Great Indian Bustard

Food: Arthropods, worms, small mammals, reptiles and insects

Life span: Upto 12-15 years

Habitat: India and Pakistan, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra

Other facts:

• The great Indian bustard is a large ground bird with a height of about one metre. It is distinguished by its black cap contrasting with a pale head and neck.
• The body is brownish, marked with a black patch mottled with white.
• Males are deep sandy buff in colour and develop a distinct black breast band during the breeding season. The crown of the head is black and crested.
• Females, which are smaller than males, have a less distinctly white head and neck, and the black breast band is rudimentary, broken, or absent.
• The great Indian bustard is a critically endangered species in the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List. Hunting and habitat loss are the primary threats to this species.