Scientific Name : Houbaropsis bengalensis
Family : Otididae
Order : Otidiformes
Class : Aves
Phylum : Chordata
Habitat : Grasslands
Description : The Bengal Florican is a large long-legged terrestrial bird with prominent white or buff wings (adult bird length approximately 66 cm, weight 2 kg, wing 35.5 cm, bill 3.7 cm, tarsus 17.5 cm). The male has a velvety-black head and neck and white wings with black tip. It feeds on insects, lizards, small snakes, berries, seeds and shoots of grass and crop. During the breeding season, the birds utilize grasslands adjacent to the lake for nesting purposes. However, they tend to move away from the water during the wet season when the breeding grounds become flooded. In a similar pattern, the Terai population of these birds migrates to warmer lowland areas during the winter season. Although their migrations are not long-distance, spanning only a few dozen kilometers, they exhibit this seasonal movement.
Bengal floricans inhabit open tall grassland habitats that are adorned with scattered bushes.
Distribution in Bangladesh
References:
description written by:Fatema-Tuz-Zohora,Department of Zoology, Jagannath University,Dhaka;information source: Encyclopedia of Flora and Fauna of Bangladesh, Vol-26, iucnredlist.org;taxonomic checklist:P. M. Thompson and S. U. Chowdhury (2020). A checklist of birds of Bangladesh.Birds Bangladesh;photo credit: markus lilje(www.inaturalist.org/people/markus lilje),photo shared from iNaturalist, photo copyright reserved according to iNaturalist rules;Frank Lambertmore information, please contact us.