Which Australian bird is the heaviest flying bird native to Australia?

The Australian bustard is the heaviest flying bird native to Australia.

Also called the plains turkey, this large ground-dwelling bird inhabits open grasslands, savannas and shrublands across much of mainland Australia and parts of New Guinea. Males are substantially larger than females and perform dramatic courtship displays involving inflated throat pouches, deep booming calls and strutting movements.

Australian bustards eat a varied diet that includes seeds, fruit, insects and small vertebrates. They can walk considerable distances while foraging and fly strongly despite their size. Their populations declined in some regions because of hunting, land-use change and altered grazing patterns.

The species is sometimes confused with the emu because both are large Australian ground birds. Unlike an emu, however, the bustard has broad wings and is capable of sustained flight. It belongs to the bustard family, whose members occur mainly in open landscapes.