Houbaropsis – Bengal florican

Found in small, scattered populations in India, Nepal, and Cambodia, this bird is built for life in tall, wild grasses. At first glance, the male in breeding season is unforgettable: it has a jet-black head, neck, and underparts, with bold white wings that flash like flags when it takes off. Outside the breeding season, both males and females wear more camouflaged brown-and-buff plumage, which blends perfectly with dry grasses and makes them very difficult to spot. Unlike its larger bustard relatives that roam open plains and deserts, the Bengal florican is a grassland specialist, relying on tall, healthy meadows near rivers.

One of the most unique traits of the Bengal florican is its spectacular courtship display. During breeding season, males perform “sky dances” to impress females. A male will launch himself upward with powerful wingbeats, then flutter and glide in circles, showing off his white wings against his dark body. Sometimes he leaps straight up, legs dangling, almost like a puppet on strings. These dramatic aerial shows are unlike anything performed by other bustards and are one of the most remarkable bird displays in Asia. When he isn’t dancing, the male often stands tall among the grasses, his black neck and crest visible above the stems like a flag announcing his territory.

The Bengal florican also differs from other bustards because of its tight link to seasonal floodplain grasslands. While larger bustards like the great Indian bustard live in dry open plains, the Bengal florican prefers riverine meadows that flood during the monsoon and grow lush grass when the water recedes. This makes its habitat very fragile: as floodplains are converted to rice fields or settlements, the florican quickly loses its home.