This is a small, short-legged bustard (54 cm). It is black-bellied, but so much smaller than the Black-bellied bustard that it is hard to confuse the two. The male has a gray neck and a black, vertical 'tie', while the female, as in this picture, has a speckled neck. The fluffy and almost pink "crest" of the male is only visible during courtship. The Buff-crested bustard is a typical dry forest and savannah bird. The food consists of seeds and insects. The little brood, consisting of one to two eggs, is placed directly on the ground.