English: Great Bustard
Russian: Дрофа
German: Grosstrappe
French: Outarde barbue
Mongolian: Хонин тоодог
Japanese: ノガン (Nogan)

Body length: 75-105 cm

Wing span: 170-260 cm

Breeding visitor/ partial migrant
Breeding season: May-August

Egg number: 4 (occasionally 3, 5)
Egg colour: Brownish-buff with small black spots, blotches.
Brood: 1 per year

Food: Seeds, leaves, flowers, wheat grains, insects, lizards,and frogs.

Status: Rare species. According to the IUCN Red List categories and criteria,the species evaluated as – Vulnerable.

Distribution and Range: Once widely distributed on Mongolian steppes, the species were sighted in small numbers in open spaces of the Dornod, Khentii, Sukhbaatar, Tov, Khangai, Bulgan, Selenge, Zavkhan and Uvs Aimags. Used to winter in Jargalant of Tov Aimag and occasionally near the Lag Lake in Dornod Aimag. In recent years, the species winter on agricultural fields of the Eg, Tarbagatai, Tarialan, Erdene, Bulgan soums in small groups from 20-to 100 individuals.

Habitat: Mongolian open steppes, river valleys, meadows, forest edge steppe and wheat fields in winter.

Population and Threats: Population not assessed. Threats: habitat degradation due to livestock grazing in the breeding sites, cutting grass, cultivating, loss of food supply due to chemicals, fire hazards, dzud and poaching, close to persishing due to natural and anthropogenic factors. Chicks are preyed upon birds of prey, foxes, wild fox, wolves, dogs. Desease transmitted by parasites.

Conservation Measures: Hunting prohibited since 1980. Included as Rare animal in the Annex to the Mongolian Government Resolution #7 (2012), included in the CITES, Annex II and the Russian Red Data Book, the Mongolian Red Book. (1987, 1997).

Further actions: Develop protection measures based on the distribution, population abundance, reproductive biology and ecology research, include the wintering habitat within the NSPAN, restore natural resources through captive breeding.