bustard

American  

[buhs-terd] / ˈbʌs tərd /

noun

1. any of several large, chiefly terrestrial and ground-running birds of the family Otididae, of the Old World and Australia, related to the cranes.

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bustard British  

/ ˈbʌstəd /

noun

1. any terrestrial bird of the family Otididae , inhabiting open regions of the Old World: order Gruiformes (cranes, rails, etc). They have long strong legs, a heavy body, a long neck, and speckled plumage

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Etymology

Origin of bustard

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English, apparently blend of Middle French bistarde ( Old Italian bistarda ) and Middle French oustarde, both from Latin avis tarda (Pliny) literally, “slow bird,” though tarda may be a non- Latin word, taken erroneously as feminine of tardus

Example Sentences

The great Indian bustard also has unique breeding habits.

From BBC • Nov. 7, 2024

The court overturned an earlier interim order, which had instructed Rajasthan and Gujarat to prioritise moving power cables underground in great Indian bustard habitats.

From BBC • Nov. 7, 2024

The collaboration between scientists, farmers and managers is crucial to improve the protection of the little bustard, an endangered steppe-land bird in Spain due to human activity.

From Science Daily • Jan. 18, 2024

Nomadic people used the birds to hunt prey such as the Houbara bustard, a large, fast bird that has been hunted so aggressively it is now an endangered species in Qatar.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 16, 2022

The wild goose and duck, the bustard, partridge, woodcock, snipe, wood-pigeon and turtle-dove are numerous.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 12, Slice 4 "Grasshopper" to "Greek Language" by Various