Great Bustard

🔍 Overview

Europe’s heaviest flying bird, now reintroduced in parts of the UK. Still an extremely rare vagrant in Sussex with only historic or exceptional flyover records. Native to Iberia and Morocco; with fragmented populations through central and southeast Europe to Turkey and east to central Siberia. Extinct in Great Britain in 1832; since 2013 it has been the subject of a re-introduction programme led by the Great Bustard Group in Wiltshire; under licence from DEFRA.

🪶 Key Identification Features

Massive size, long legs, and thick neck

Males: orangey chest band, white underparts

White wing flash in flight

🗺️ Habitat & Distribution

If seen at all in Sussex, it would likely be a wandering individual from reintroduction schemes. Possible over arable land or Downs, especially in late autumn or winter.

🎶 Voice & Behaviour

Generally silent. On land, they move slowly and can be surprisingly hard to spot despite their size.