Great bustard Army training area. Here the lack of public access allows them the freedom needed as a large ground-nesting bird. It is classified by the IUCN as "vulnerable". The great bustard was classified with its scientific name in 1758 by Carl Linnaeus, though the species was referred to as "avis tarda" in the much older writings of Pliny the Elder, and hence its names in English (from Old French "bistarda") and some other languages: "abetarda" (pt), "avetarda" (gl), "avutarda" (es). "Otis" is an Old Greek name for "bustard". The specific name, "tarda", is Latin for "slow" and "deliberate", which is apt
Suchindram Theroor Birds Sanctuary trees and other bushes have formed an island at the centre, which gives refuge and is a resting place for birds. Suchindram is noted for the wide variety of migratory waterbirds that winter there, including: near threatened painted stork and spot-billed pelicans. Also seen here are cattle egrets, great cormorants, darters, purple swamphen, and bronze-winged jacanas. Resident raptors include pied kingfisher, brahminy kite and marsh harrier. Other water birds are dabchick, grey heron, garganey, purple heron, cinnamon bittern, open bill stork, cotton pygmy goose, whiskered tern and little tern, black-winged stilt, greenshank, little ringed plover and the common sandpiper In