Bengal Florican

 I don't know how many of the readers here know this, but out of all the species of the Bustard order, three are considered highly threatened, in India. In this post, I will be talking about one of those three birds.

The Bengal Florican, also known as the Bengal Bustard, is considered one of the most vulnerable birds in India, with a conservation status of "Critically Endangered". It got its name from its discovery in the food plains of the Ganga and Brahmaputra, at the foothills of the Himalayas. There are two distinct populations of this bird, one in the Terai regions of India and Nepal and another in Cambodia. Previously, this bird was also found in Bangladesh and Vietnam but is now considered extinct from there. This bird feeds mostly on seeds, insects, berries, grasses and more. However, the number of individuals in both the populations are decreasing, mostly due to the shrinking of the grasslands, the habitat of these birds. While the male bird is known for its athleticism during breeding seasons, its routine may be coming to an end. However, there are some organizations like Aranyak and the BNHS, which are helping in the conservation of these birds.

Previously, one could see this bird all over the Indian subcontinent, but now its sighting is restricted to only a few national forests, with fewer than 1,000 individuals worldwide. So, I request all the readers to spread this information and contribute to the protection of this species. 

Comments

  1. Nature Ria14 March 2025 at 07:38

    Hope to read more from you.Which are the two other threatened ones?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. True Indian 14 March 2025 at 15:26

      The other two are the Lesser Florican and the Great Indian Bustard

      Delete

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