In the vast, golden grasslands of Rajasthan and Gujarat, one of India’s most elusive and powerful natural sounds has been documented: the haunting duet call of the critically endangered Great Indian Bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps).
Often likened to a distant lion’s roar echoing across the open landscape, the deep, resonant booming call of the male—produced by inflating a specialised gular pouch—carries for nearly half a kilometre. During the breeding season (March to September), males and females synchronise their vocalisations, creating a rare duet that is vital to courtship, territory establishment, and pair bonding.
Wildlife conservation storyteller K. Shiva Kumar captured this extraordinary moment during a Wikimedia Wildlife India expedition. The footage offers a privileged glimpse into the private life of a species teetering on the brink of extinction.
“Witnessing and hearing this duet is more than an experience—it is a privilege,” said Kumar. “In these silent grasslands, misunderstood as barren wastelands, the Bustard’s call transforms the landscape into a living stage of survival.”
Once widespread across 11 Indian states with an estimated population of over 1,260 in 1969, the Great Indian Bustard has declined dramatically to fewer than 150 individuals in the wild, primarily confined to fragmented habitats in Rajasthan’s Thar Desert and parts of Gujarat. Habitat loss due to agriculture, infrastructure development, power lines, and grazing pressure has pushed the species toward extinction.
Recent conservation efforts, including captive breeding programs in Rajasthan that have successfully reared over 70 chicks, offer a glimmer of hope. In a landmark trans-state initiative, a captive-bred egg was recently transported to Gujarat, resulting in the first successful hatching there in a decade.
Yet experts emphasise that long-term survival depends on protecting and restoring native grassland habitats—the very ecosystems that host these rare courtship rituals.
For wildlife enthusiasts and conservationists, hearing the Great Indian Bustard’s duet is a profound reminder of nature’s resilience and fragility.
Each resonant note underscores the urgent need for sustained efforts to safeguard breeding grounds and ensure this majestic bird continues to echo across India’s plains for generations to come.
Contributed by K. Shiva Kumar, a professional Wildlife Storyteller (M.A in Journalism & Mass Communication, an alumnus of Central University Of Odisha, Koraput) from Hyderabad, Telangana.
K. Shiva is passionate about wildlife conservation. Through his work, he hopes to inspire greater appreciation for the wildlife that shares our planet and encourages conservation action.
