Appearance:

Fairly large rail with secretive behaviour. Distinguished by long red bill, brownish upperparts, slate grey underparts, and coarsely barred flanks. White and unmarked vent often visible due to frequently used posture with flirted tail. Long legs and toes visible in flight.

Sound:

Varied but distinct. Most heard is the territorial song consisting of short, nasal, sharp grunts "tuck- tuck-tuck", ending with a drawn-out trill rising and falling in pitch "kiiiieeerrrr". Another diagnostic call is heard from excited birds; a longer pig-like shrilling squeal, with waning repetitions. A bit like someone squeezing a rubber toy. Also short and sharp calls "kvii".

Song:

Pig call:

Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC

Sounds:Recorded by Edmunds Racinskis

Appearance:

Heaviest bird in area. Stocky with well developed chest. Male 50% larger than female. Mostly unmistakable, and differs from all other bustards in area in all plumages by pale, grey head (yellowish grey in female), clearly paler than the rufous upperparts and lower neck. Male with thick neck, rufous chest and long moustache feathers. Female with more slender neck and duller colours. In flight the big white wing-patch is conspicuous. Base of hand pale with smooth transition to dark tips. Secondaries black. When displaying the male raises wings and body feathers to a "foam-bath" posture with head held low, like a white ball of feathers. Flight heavy but majestic. Shy and alert bird.

Sound:

Mostly silent, especially away from breeding ground. Display call a short deep, hollow thud "omp", using resonating gular pouch. Most heard is a nasal grunt used in various types of excitement. Sometimes given in a flatulent series.

Excitement call:

Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC

CC-photo:cruzperezmanuel, Licence,Link.

CC-photo:Viskens Michel, Licence,Link.

CC-photo:Paul Dirksen, Licence,Link.

CC-photo:Sergey Yeliseev, Licence,Link.

CC-photo:Cora de Groot en Ruud Versijde, Licence,Link.