Lophotis gindiana
In 3 days ~80% in a week >90%
The buff-crested bustard (Lophotis gindiana) is a medium-sized bird of East Africa; Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya belonging to the family Otididae. The populations are stable and the species is of least concern. The buff-crested bustard is a medium-sized East African bird that can reach up to 60 cm (24 in) in height. Compared to other African bustards, this species is relatively small. Male buff-crested bustards weigh between 675 and 900 grams (24 and 32 oz). Mature males display a black stripe that extends from the throat to the breast. The male plumage is grey or buff, except for the black stripe and dark underside of the body. Most bustards of this family are sexually dimorphic; the male and female differ in plumage coloration and size. On the female, the line visible on the throat is duller and the overall grey coloration seen in the male is replaced by a light brown. As a result of ground-dwelling behaviour, the birds lack a hind toe and do not perch. The species gets its name from the coloured feather crest shown in males, but which is not present in females. When the bird's wings are extended, a large white patch is visible under each wing.
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Recording0:06
Kenya · 2023
© Yvonne A. de Jong · iNaturalist · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Awash National Park | 🇪🇹 Ethiopia | |
| 2 | Tsavo East National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 3 | Tsavo West National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 4 | Ruaha National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 5 | Samburu National Reserve | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 6 | Mkomazi National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 7 | Tarangire National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 8 | Amboseli National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SeaWorld Orlando | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Zoo Miami | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Columbus Zoo and Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Bronx Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Birmingham Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Saint Louis Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | Fort Worth Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Houston Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 9 | ABQ BioPark Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | San Antonio Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 11 | Philadelphia Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 12 | Discovery Cove | 🇺🇸 United States |
Likely
About 40% of wildlife watchers report a Buff-Crested Bustard sighting in Ruaha National Park on a given day, based on 101 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 33rd most-seen of the 276 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 80%, and over a week to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
March
In that month about 60% of wildlife watchers report a Buff-Crested Bustard in Ruaha National Park on a given day, against about 20% in August, the lowest month. That is one of Ruaha National Park's wettest months, with about 140 mm of rain against almost none in June.
Between 3 and 6 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Buff-Crested Bustard sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Among the best
Of the 8 parks where we can rate Buff-Crested Bustard sightings, Ruaha National Park ranks 4th at about 40%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Awash National Park (Ethiopia, about 40%), Tsavo East National Park (Kenya, about 40%) and Tsavo West National Park (Kenya, about 40%). All parks ranked.
Same family: Otididae
The closest relatives of the Buff-Crested Bustard that you can see in Ruaha National Park (family Otididae, Bustards) are White-bellied Bustard (about 20%) and Black-bellied Bustard (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Buff-Crested Bustard is recorded against all the birds logged in Ruaha National Park (101 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.
