Great Bustard is a very large bird. A height of a male individual can be 1000mm, and female 800mm. The weight of a male is between 8 - 16 kg, and of a female is 4 - 6 kg. Some specimens can reach weight of 24 kg. 

Adult individuals look alike regarding feather color, but there is a difference in winter and summer ,,clothing". During the winter, a male has gray head and bottom part of the neck. On the lateral side of the head there are long white feathers - "mustache" . On the upper part of the body is yellowish and red with dark spots. On the back, from head to tail the intensity of red color is fading and the tail has lighter color. Abdominal side is also lighter, the color is almost white. Difference between winter and summer clothing is white feathers on the chin. During the winter, a female does not have "mustache" and has less white feathers than a male. During the summer, a female also has some of these long feathers in the "mustache" part, and it's feathers on the chest has yellowish-red color.

The color of young birds (juvenile individuals) is yellow, with a black spots and stripes on the head. sexually immature individuals are similar to adults, except for their lighter color. It is hard to establish gender differentiation of sexually immature individuals. 
The beak is short, yellow-dun, on top of the beak color is  The color of legs is brown. The back finger is reduced, and the clows have flat shape. The foot is broad. In young, beak and legs are brownish-gray in color.