Stanley Bustard
Encyclopedia
Denham's Bustard, Stanley Bustard or Stanley's Bustard, Neotis denhami, is a large bird
in the bustard
family. It breeds in much of sub-Sahara
n Africa
. It is a species of open ground, including agricultural land, grassland, flood-plains and burnt fynbos
. It is resident, but some inland populations move to lower altitudes in winter.
Denham's Bustard is the largest species in the Neotis
genus, although is smaller than the bustards in the Ardeotis
genus (as well as the Great Bustard
). The male is 9 to 10 kg (19.8 to 22 lb) and 100–116 cm (39.4–45.7 in), the female is much smaller at 3 to 4 kg (6.6 to 8.8 lb) and 80 centimetre. The back is brown, darker and plainer in the male, and the underparts are white. The neck is pale grey with an orange nape, and the head has black stripes on the crown. The long legs are pale yellow. The wings are strikingly patterned in brown, white and black, the male showing more white in flight than the female or young birds.
The male inflates his throat when displaying to show a conspicuous balloon of white feathers. This species is usually silent.
Denham's Bustard feeds on insects, small vertebrate
s and plant material. It has suffered population declines through much, if not all, of its range. Hunting is the primary cause of declines across the Sahel
and west Africa, but in eastern and southern Africa, conversion of grassland to agriculture is a greater threat.
The common names for this species refer to the English explorer, Major Dixon Denham
, and the English naturalist Edward Smith-Stanley, 13th Earl of Derby
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
in the bustard
Bustard
Bustards, including floricans and korhaans, are large terrestrial birds mainly associated with dry open country and steppes in the Old World...
family. It breeds in much of sub-Sahara
Sahara
The Sahara is the world's second largest desert, after Antarctica. At over , it covers most of Northern Africa, making it almost as large as Europe or the United States. The Sahara stretches from the Red Sea, including parts of the Mediterranean coasts, to the outskirts of the Atlantic Ocean...
n Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
. It is a species of open ground, including agricultural land, grassland, flood-plains and burnt fynbos
Fynbos
Fynbos is the natural shrubland or heathland vegetation occurring in a small belt of the Western Cape of South Africa, mainly in winter rainfall coastal and mountainous areas with a Mediterranean climate...
. It is resident, but some inland populations move to lower altitudes in winter.
Denham's Bustard is the largest species in the Neotis
Neotis
Neotis is a genus of bird in the Otididae family. It contains the following species:* Heuglin's Bustard * Ludwig's Bustard * Nubian Bustard * Denham's Bustard...
genus, although is smaller than the bustards in the Ardeotis
Ardeotis
Ardeotis is a genus of bird in the Otididae family. It contains the following species:* Arabian Bustard * Kori Bustard * Great Indian Bustard * Australian Bustard...
genus (as well as the Great Bustard
Great Bustard
The Great Bustard is in the bustard family, the only member of the genus Otis. It breeds in southern and central Europe, where it is the largest species of bird, and across temperate Asia...
). The male is 9 to 10 kg (19.8 to 22 lb) and 100–116 cm (39.4–45.7 in), the female is much smaller at 3 to 4 kg (6.6 to 8.8 lb) and 80 centimetre. The back is brown, darker and plainer in the male, and the underparts are white. The neck is pale grey with an orange nape, and the head has black stripes on the crown. The long legs are pale yellow. The wings are strikingly patterned in brown, white and black, the male showing more white in flight than the female or young birds.
The male inflates his throat when displaying to show a conspicuous balloon of white feathers. This species is usually silent.
Denham's Bustard feeds on insects, small vertebrate
Vertebrate
Vertebrates are animals that are members of the subphylum Vertebrata . Vertebrates are the largest group of chordates, with currently about 58,000 species described. Vertebrates include the jawless fishes, bony fishes, sharks and rays, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, and birds...
s and plant material. It has suffered population declines through much, if not all, of its range. Hunting is the primary cause of declines across the Sahel
Sahel
The Sahel is the ecoclimatic and biogeographic zone of transition between the Sahara desert in the North and the Sudanian Savannas in the south.It stretches across the North African continent between the Atlantic Ocean and the Red Sea....
and west Africa, but in eastern and southern Africa, conversion of grassland to agriculture is a greater threat.
The common names for this species refer to the English explorer, Major Dixon Denham
Dixon Denham
Dixon Denham was an English explorer in West Central Africa.Denham was born in London. He was educated at Merchant Taylors' School, and was articled to a solicitor, but joined the army in 1811...
, and the English naturalist Edward Smith-Stanley, 13th Earl of Derby
Edward Smith-Stanley, 13th Earl of Derby
Edward Smith-Stanley, 13th Earl of Derby KG , styled Lord Stanley from 1776 to 1832 and known as The Lord Stanley from 1832 to 1834, was an English politician, landowner, builder, farmer, art collector and naturalist...