What it is
The great Indian bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps) is a large, long legged ground bird with a white neck, a black cap and a brown back. It stands about a metre tall and is among the heaviest birds that can fly. The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists it as Critically Endangered.
Range
Dry grasslands and semi desert of western and central India, mostly in Rajasthan.
What happened
Males puff up a throat pouch and give deep booming calls to attract females. Heavy and slow to turn in the air, bustards often fly into the power lines that now cross their grasslands.
When / status
Critically Endangered now, with only a small number of birds left.
Human role
Collisions with power lines, the loss of grasslands to farms and past hunting have brought it to the edge.