Last updated on June 26th, 2023 at 10:42 pm
Class 6 Autobiography of a Great Indian Bustard
Q – What is the heaviest flying bird in India?
- The Great Indian Bustard is the heaviest flying bird in India.
Q – What are some of the physical characteristics of a Great Indian Bustard?
- Great Indian Bustards have a long white neck, brown wings, tall yellow legs, and a black cap on their head. They can stand up to four feet in height and weigh up to 18 kilos.
Q – What is the diet of a Great Indian Bustard?
- Great Indian Bustards eat everything including snakes, lizards, small fruits and berries, and all sorts of insects. Grasshoppers and beetles are their favorite food items.
Q – How do Great Indian Bustards protect their eggs from predators?
- Great Indian Bustards lay just one egg directly on the ground. The egg looks like a stone, which helps to protect it from predators. The mother protects the egg from predators.
Q – What is the unique way that male Great Indian Bustards attract mates?
- Male Great Indian Bustards perform a dance by gulping air in the special feathery pouch attached below their neck. This pouch helps them produce a resonating sound similar to the one produced by the cow – ‘Hoooooom’. They dance in joy with puffed-out feathers, cocked up tail, and dropped down wings to impress their soul mate.
Q – Who is Dr. Salim Ali, and what was his suggestion regarding Great Indian Bustards?
- Dr. Salim Ali was a great human friend of Great Indian Bustards. He had suggested that they should be given the status of the ‘National Bird’ of India, but the honour went to their beautiful relative – the peacock.
Q – What are some of the threats that Great Indian Bustards face today?
- Great Indian Bustards are losing their homes due to human population growth. They are also hunted for fun and die due to electric power lines that they can’t see while flying. As a result, their numbers are dwindling, and only around 200 of them are left in the world.
