Lesser florican

The lesser florican is a small bustard native to the Indian subcontinent. During breeding displays, males leap into the air and raise their wing feathers.

Connect

Lesser florican courtship display: A male lesser florican's breeding display, featuring repeated vertical leaps and conspicuous wing feathers. The leaps that give this species its best-known behavior.
Monsoon: A seasonal reversal of winds that brings marked changes in rainfall to regions including South Asia. Monsoon rains trigger the vegetation growth used for nesting and breeding.
Bustard: A family of large, mostly terrestrial birds native to open habitats in the Old World. The lesser florican belongs to this bird family.
Critically endangered: An IUCN Red List category for species facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild. The lesser florican is assessed in this category.
Lesser florican migration: The seasonal movement of lesser floricans between breeding and nonbreeding areas in the Indian subcontinent. Its movements connect monsoon breeding grounds with other seasonal habitats.
Grassland ecology: The study of ecological processes and communities in landscapes dominated by grasses and other low vegetation. Explains how grass height and structure shape suitable florican habitat.
Sypheotides: A genus of bustards containing the lesser florican as its sole living species. Places the species within its immediate taxonomic group.
BirdLife International: A global partnership of conservation organizations that assesses bird status and coordinates conservation work. Its assessments document the florican's threatened status.
Shokaliya Grassland: A grassland landscape in Rajasthan, India, known as a breeding area for lesser floricans. A named breeding site where the species' habitat needs are studied.
Lek (mating arena): A mating system in which males display at shared sites where females choose mates. Male display behavior has features associated with lekking.