Houbara bustards are about the size of a large chicken. They spend most of their time walking slowly across the desert searching for beetles, lizards, seeds, and berries. When they are alarmed, they freeze and crouch low rather than flying away immediately - their sandy feathers blend so well with the desert ground that they almost disappear.
During the breeding season, the male transforms. He fans out the long white feathers around his neck like a huge pom-pom, drops his wings, and runs forward in tight circles or zigzags. This energetic, almost comedic display can last for hours and attracts females from a distance.
Houbara bustards are good at surviving without much water. They eat plants and insects that contain moisture and can travel long distances in search of food. Conservation programmes in several countries carefully monitor houbara populations and breed them in special centres to help keep their numbers healthy.