Alice Springs Desert Park

ASDP BirdsAustralian Boobook Owl Australian Bustard Australian Hobby Banded Lapwing Barn Owl Black Kite Black-breasted Buzzard Black-faced Woodswallow Black-fronted Dotterel Bourke’s Parrot Brown Falcon Emu Inland Dotterel Orange Chat Pied Honeyeater Princess Parrot Rainbow Bee-eater Red-capped Robin Spinifex Pigeon Splendid Fairy-wren Tawny Frogmouth Wedge-tailed Eagle Western Bowerbird Whistling Kite White-faced Heron White-winged Fairywren

Alice Springs Desert ParkFauna Flora Nature Theatre Nocturnal House

The Australian Bustard (Ardeotis australis) is an amazing large ground dwelling bird, with a slight crest, white eye-brow, speckled neck with dark markings and black crown. It stands at about a metre in height, with a wingspan that is approximately twice the height. The female is slightly smaller then the male.

The Bustard has what appears to be a ‘snooty’ appearance, as it walks in a sedate manner, holding its head up high. If disturbed it will walk away, whilst still watching, although it can fly when needed.

A nomadic bird, it can also be found in small groups. They fly to areas where food is plentiful, being capable of travelling long distances. They are omnivorous and will eat almost anything. The have been seen eating locust, mice and even whole cane toads without any apparent effects.

They are found in grassland, open savannah woodland, flood plains and open agricultural regions across the northern parts of Australia and southern New Guinea. Once widespread to the open plains of Australia, they are now rare, especially in regions that are populated.

Also called the plains turkey, wild turkey and bush turkey. The brush turkey is a name applied to another species known alternatively as the Brush-turkey.

Images © CK Leel / Images © Ausemade PL

Check out our Fauna Index for more Australian Bustard images…


  • Scientific classification
  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Chordata
  • Class: Aves
  • Order: Otidiformes
  • Family: Otididae
  • Genus: Ardeotis
  • Species: Ardeotis australis

ASDP BirdsAustralian Boobook Owl Australian Bustard Australian Hobby Banded Lapwing Barn Owl Black Kite Black-breasted Buzzard Black-faced Woodswallow Black-fronted Dotterel Bourke’s Parrot Brown Falcon Emu Inland Dotterel Orange Chat Pied Honeyeater Princess Parrot Rainbow Bee-eater Red-capped Robin Spinifex Pigeon Splendid Fairy-wren Tawny Frogmouth Wedge-tailed Eagle Western Bowerbird Whistling Kite White-faced Heron White-winged Fairywren

ASDP FaunaASDP Arachnida ASDP Birds ASDP Insects ASDP Reptiles Dingo Ghost Bat Greater Bilby Numbat Red Kangaroo Short-beaked Echidna Spinifex Hopping Mouse Thorny Devil Western Quoll

Alice Springs Desert ParkFauna Flora Nature Theatre Nocturnal House