Hartlaub's Bustard

Hartlaub's Bustard

Lissotis hartlaubii

Silhouette: Kai Caspar · PhyloPic

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR
Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
at Meru National Park

In 3 days ~40% in a week ~70%

27 Verified sightings at Meru National Park From 2019 to 2026
520 In all 10 parks
December Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Hartlaub's Bustard

Hartlaub's bustard (Lissotis hartlaubii) is a species of bird in the family Otididae. It is a medium-sized bustard with a long, thick neck, and long legs. It is found in open, tall grassland, range from 1,600 to 2,000 metres (5,250 to 6,560 ft) in Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda.

The common name and Latin binomial commemorate the German physician and ornithologist Gustav Hartlaub. They initially classified under the genus Eupodotis in 1839, a subsequent genetic study revealed that the genus Lissotis represents a distinct, long-standing lineage, separate from Eupodotis, emerging during the evolutionary diversification of bustards at the generic level.

A mature Hartlaub's bustard is about 60 centimetres (24 in), recorded weights range from 1,500–1,600 g (3.3–3.5 lb). They are indistinguishable from a far distance, as they are similar to L. melanogaster. The male Hartlaub's bustard has a grayish coloration with a more distinct black stripe on its face, as well as a black stripe running down its neck that connects to its black belly. They have a small head set on a long neck, and a bulky body with large legs. The female is similar in appearance to... Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Meru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~20%
2 Mkomazi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~10%
3 Nairobi National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~10%
4 Amboseli National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~10%
5 Tsavo East National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
6 Tsavo West National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
7 Tarangire National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
8 Serengeti National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
9 Kidepo Valley National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
10 Ngorongoro Conservation Area 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Hartlaub's Bustard in Meru National Park?

Possible

About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Hartlaub's Bustard sighting in Meru National Park on a given day, based on 27 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 120th most-seen of the 243 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 40%, and over a week to about 70%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Hartlaub's Bustard in Meru National Park?

October and December

In those months about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Hartlaub's Bustard in Meru National Park on a given day, against about 10% in January–February, September and November, the lowest months. May and July–August have too few records to rate.

What time of day is best to see a Hartlaub's Bustard?

Between 3 and 6 pm

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Hartlaub's Bustard sightings with a recorded time, and about 7 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Meru National Park the best place to see a Hartlaub's Bustard?

Yes

Of the 10 parks where we can rate Hartlaub's Bustard sightings, Meru National Park has the highest daily chance: about 20%. Next come Mkomazi National Park (Tanzania, about 10%) and Nairobi National Park (Kenya, about 10%).

Where does the Hartlaub's Bustard sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Hartlaub's Bustard is recorded against all the birds logged in Meru National Park (27 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

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