The Great Indian Bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps) is one of India’s most threatened avian species, among the heaviest flying birds, weighing up to 15 kg and standing nearly 1.2 metres tall. Endemic to parts of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and some areas in Pakistan, it lives in dry grasslands and scrublands.

It is listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN, with fewer than 150 individuals left in the wild. It also has protection under CITES Appendix I and India’s Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 under Schedule I.

Major threats include collision deaths from power lines and wind turbines, habitat fragmentation and degradation, hunting, and encroachment from human developments and mining. One interesting conservation tool being used are Firefly bird diverters — reflector flaps installed on power lines that enable flying bustards to spot and avoid collisions from about 50 metres away.

Conservation efforts include Project Great Indian Bustard initiated by the Rajasthan government to safeguard the remaining population through habitat protection and interventions. Without strong and sustained action, this iconic grassland species risks extinction in the very near future.