Black-bellied Bustard (Lissotis melanogaster)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Black-bellied Bustard

Lissotis melanogaster (Rüppell, 1835)

58–65 cmLength1.2 kgWeight

The black-bellied bustard (Lissotis melanogaster), also known as the black-bellied korhaan, is an African ground-dwelling bird in the bustard family.

Busiest months: November · Most records: Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Black-bellied Bustard has been recorded at 249 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 29 countries and regions.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Ngorongoro Conservation Area – Ngorongoro CraterTanzania630 records
  2. Maasai Mara NR – Mara TriangleKenya546 records
  3. Maasai Mara NRKenya398 records
More places
  1. Serengeti NPTanzania358 records
  2. Mkhuze GRSouth Africa232 records
  3. Murchison Falls NP – North sideUganda216 records
  4. Nairobi NPKenya210 records
  5. Lake Mburo NPUganda199 records
  6. Maasai Mara NR – Central sectionKenya166 records
  7. Lake Nakuru NPKenya166 records

Countries and regions with the most records

KenyaTanzaniaSouth AfricaUgandaMozambiqueBotswanaZambiaGhana

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The black-bellied bustard (Lissotis melanogaster), also known as the black-bellied korhaan, is an African ground-dwelling bird in the bustard family.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Black-bellied Bustard?

The Black-bellied Bustard is about 58–65 cm long and weighs around 1.2 kg.

Where does the Black-bellied Bustard live?

Its breeding range: Africa: widespread. It is most often recorded in Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa.

When is the best time to see the Black-bellied Bustard?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in November (Southern Hemisphere).

Is the Black-bellied Bustard endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Black-bellied Bustard as Least Concern.

What does the Black-bellied Bustard eat?

Main food: Insects & other invertebrates.

What family is the Black-bellied Bustard in?

It belongs to the family Bustards (Otididae), order Otidiformes.

At a glance

Length
58–65 cm
Weight
1.2 kg
Habitat
Grassland
Diet
Insects & other invertebrates
Lifestyle
Active on the ground
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
332 mm
Tail
170 mm
Bill
47 mm
Tarsus
134 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Africa: widespread

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Family
Bustards Otididae
Genus
Lissotis

Other birds in the genus Lissotis

Hartlaub's BustardHartlaub's BustardLissotis hartlaubiiGreat BustardGreat BustardOtis tardaArabian BustardArabian BustardArdeotis arabsKori BustardKori BustardArdeotis koriGreat Indian BustardGreat Indian BustardArdeotis nigricepsAustralian BustardAustralian BustardArdeotis australisAfrican HoubaraAfrican HoubaraChlamydotis undulataAsian HoubaraAsian HoubaraChlamydotis macqueeniiLudwig's BustardLudwig's BustardNeotis ludwigiiDenham's BustardDenham's BustardNeotis denhami
Black-bellied Bustard

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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from reference photos. ↗

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