Great Bustard - Taxonomy and Etymology

Taxonomy and Etymology

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. Otis is an Old Greek name for "bustard". The specific name, tarda, has been traced to an Old Spanish name for "tread", although it has also been used in Latin for "slow" and "deliberate", which is apt to describe the typical walking style of the species. The Great Bustard túzok in Hungarian and it is the national bird of Hungary and a subject of several proverbs of that region.