CR

Great Indian Bustard

Ardeotis nigriceps

Declining

Overview

A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.

The Great Indian Bustard faces catastrophic population decline primarily due to collision mortality with power lines, which kills an estimated 15% of the population annually. Habitat conversion of grasslands to agriculture and renewable energy infrastructure has fragmented remaining populations across just four states in India. Hunting pressure and disturbance from increased human activity in remaining habitat patches continue to impact breeding success and survival rates.

Threat summary

Habitat

Inhabits open grasslands, semi-arid scrublands, and thorny scrub areas across the Indian subcontinent, particularly favoring short grass plains with scattered thorny bushes. Requires large territories of undisturbed grassland ecosystem for foraging and successful breeding.

Shrubland· majorGrassland· majorDesert· major

Conservation measures underway

Site/area protectionSite/area managementHabitat & natural process restorationSpecies managementSpecies recoveryEx-situ conservationAwareness & communicationsLegislationCompliance and enforcementLinked enterprises & livelihood alternatives

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Frequently asked questions

Why is Great Indian Bustard classified as Critically Endangered?
Great Indian Bustard is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. The Great Indian Bustard faces catastrophic population decline primarily due to collision mortality with power lines, which kills an estimated 15% of the population annually. Habitat conversion of grasslands to agriculture and renewable energy infrastructure has fragmented remaining populations across just four states in India. Hunting pressure and disturbance from increased human activity in remaining habitat patches continue to impact breeding success and survival rates.
Where does Great Indian Bustard live?
Great Indian Bustard occurs in India, and Pakistan. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Great Indian Bustard?
The main threats to Great Indian Bustard are 2.1, 2.3, 3.2, and 3.3. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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