Male White-bellied Bustard showing blue-grey neck and pinkish bill in Tarangire National Park.
the Call of the white-bellied Bustard
"Ah-nghaa-nghaa!" That nasally croak belongs to the White-bellied bustard (Eupodotis senegalensis). While these leggy land birds can be elusive, they are relatively common sight in the grasslands of Northern Tanzania.
I recently photographed this male in Tarangire National Park.
If you're trying to distinguish between a White-bellied and a Black-bellied bustard, look for these distinctive marks of the White belly species (beyond the obvious belly coloration):
The Neck: A vibrant blue-grey color.
The Bill: A unique pinkish-red base.
These birds are typically solitary or travel in small family groups. This particular male was probably making all the fuss for a nearby female (pictured below). Bustards are well-known for their elaborate courtship displays. As is common with our feathered friends, the female is much more subdued in color and demeanor.
Want to learn more about African Bustards?
All bustards are all members of the Otididae family. There are 26 species within this group.
The first-century Roman naturalist Pliny the Elder called bustards avis tarda, or “slow birds.”*
Compare this species with the Black-bellied bustard. See our post here.
See the world’s heaviest flying bird, the Kori bustard. See our post here.
Join us on a safari expedition!
Dates and itinerary have been confirmed: June 3-13, 2027. This one will be a gem! We’ll be on the backside of the rainy season and rumbling in Land Cruisers across the Serengeti to the Western Corridor. There, we will witness the Grumeti River crossing of the Great Migration. We’ll also visit the slapping waves of Speke Bay on Lake Victoria (the source of the Nile) where we’ll do a little boating and an overnight. Another new piece of the offering for this season is a forest canopy walk in Lake Manyara National Park (home to the climbing lions!). Both the treetop walkway and the Lake Victoria stop promise to be ideal places to observe African bird populations. I’m excited! This is not your typical “tourist travel.” Reserve your seat. Registration will begin soon. Email us at BibleLandExplorer@gmail.com.
This female was near the male pictured above.
*Don’t eat a bustard, suggests Pliny, “because when the marrow is drained out of their bones a disgusting smell at once follows” (!). See Pliny Natural History III Libri VIII-XI. The Loeb Classical Library. Translated by Rachham, H. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. 1967. pp. 328–329.