Least Concern Birds

Black-bellied Bustard

Lissotis melanogaster

Black-bellied Bustard is an omnivorous bird of dry savannas and open bushlands in Africa.

Scientific name	Lissotis melanogaster
Swahili name	Mkorongo wa tumbo mweusi
Conservation status	Least Concern
Class	Aves
Order	Gruiformes
Family	Otididae
Size	Male: approximately 1.2-1.5 kg; Female: approximately 1.0-1.3 kg

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How to identify

Distinct black belly; plumage mainly brown and gray with spots; male has a prominent white neck stripe; medium to large size, long legs; wings broad with white markings in flight

Habitat

Open woodland savanna, open grasslands and shrublands, commonly found in dry or semi-arid environments

Diet

Omnivorous, feeding mainly on insects (such as beetles and grasshoppers), small invertebrates, seeds, and tender plant leaves

When it is active

Diurnal, mainly active at dawn and dusk

Where it lives

Distributed in sub-Saharan Africa, including Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia; commonly seen in Kenya’s Maasai Mara National Reserve

How to spot it

Observe in open grasslands at dawn or dusk; due to high alertness, use binoculars to observe from a distance to avoid disturbance; for photography, use low-angle light to highlight plumage colors