ˈbəstə(r)d noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English bustarde, modification (perhaps influenced by Middle French oustarde bustard, from Latin avis tarda ) of Middle French bistarde, from Old Italian bistarda, from Latin avis tarda, literally, slow bird, from avis bird + tarda feminine of tardus slow — more at aviary
: any of a family (Otididae) of large chiefly terrestrial game birds of the Old World and Australia that are related both to the cranes and plovers and that frequent grassy steppes and cultivated areas, being somewhat slow and stately on the ground but capable of powerful swift flight when alarmed — see great bustard , korhaan , plain turkey