otis spring 2012
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Otis, the official Great Bustard MagazineTRANSCRIPT
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Email: [email protected] 649498
Affordable Weband Graphic designHuge discounts for charities
For Sale and Aftersales of New and Used Agricultural, Industrial, Groundcare and
Horticultural Machinery.
www.candotractors.com
C&O Tractors, Wilton01722 742141
Book a visit now to see thebirds preparing for the Spring lek
Visit the GBG£10 per person
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absolutely certain we will meet with success.
We need to buy the equipment and you will
have no ced the new funding appeal and the
envelope inside this issue of O s. Your help
is, as always, hugely appreciated.
I am acutely aware of the tremendous
support given by many GBG members and
am anxious not to con nually knock on the
same doors every me there is a need. I hope
that copies of this issue of O s and the
funding appeal envelopes will find their way
to new places and be read by new people.
Please pass your copy around and think of
leaving it at the Doctors or the library, if they
will take it, as posi ve awareness of our
project is our lifeblood.
The lek, or at least the jostling of males in
prepara on for it gets underway very early in
the new year. I always think, if someone
could only visit the project once, the early
Spring is the me to do it. Displaying males in
their finery, returning females and the bonus
of Stone-curlews selec ng their nest sites,
make it an exci ng me. Better s ll is the
knowledge that the days are ge ng longer
and brighter. Keep an eye on our website as
we will be running special ‘dawn’ trips to give
the best views of the lek this year. It would be
great to see more members coming on tours
of the Project Site, and do remember that
visits are completely free to all members.
2012 will be the first year the GBG will bring
eggs back to the UK from Russia. The
inten on is to spare growing chicks the stress
of a two day journey and the change of
environment at a cri cal stage in their
development.
The exercise is not en rely straigh orward as
the eggs are rescued from field cul va on in
Russia at any stage during their incuba on.
This means that some may have been laid
that morning and others will hatch that day.
We will need to be sure we do not have eggs
hatching during the journey from Saratov to
the UK. Long distance transport of Great
Bustard eggs has not been done before - not
legally at least, so the venture will be a new
one, but with the right equipment I am
A word from the Director
3
The Great Bustard Group is the UK registered charity and membership
organisation formed in 1998 tore-introduce the Great Bustard
O s tarda to the UK.
The GBG is actively involved in Great Bustard conservation and is working
with other organisations, both nationally and internationally to save
the world’s heaviest flying bird.
PresidentThe Rt. Hon. The Lord Tryon
Vice PresidentsDr Charles Goodson-Wickes DL
John Chitty CertZooMed. CBiol. MIBiol. MRCVS
Paul Goriup BSc. MSc.
TrusteesDavid Bond (Chairman)
John Browning Dina De Angelo Kevin Duncan Simon Gudgeon
Estlin Waters
DirectorDavid Waters
Contact1, Down Barn Close,
Winterbourne Gunner,Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 6JP. UK
01980 671 [email protected]
www.greatbustard.org
David Waters, GBG Founder and Director
GBG News
Otis Production TeamEditor: Suzy Elkins
Design: AA1 Media Ltd
Print: Bath Midway Litho
Front cover photograph
Houbara Bustard
Contents
4
In this issue
Welcome to GBG’s new Junior Supporters Meet Vulpes Vulpes in Fox Corner
14 Welcome Junior Bustard Supporters GBG introduces its new children’s magazine.
15 Bustard Buddies NEW pullout and keep sec on for your fledglings!
19 GBG in Hungary Kate Ashbrook reports on Great Bustard conserva on in Hungary.
20 International Falconry Conference David Waters reports on his recent trip to the United Arab Emirates.
22 Eggs and Chicks appeal We launch our new appeal and make history in Britain.
24 Great Bustards in Portugal Bill and Ann Jordan update us on the bustard popula on in Portugal.
26 Genus Otidae Estlin Waters provides a fascina ng look at the bustard family.
28 Beautiful Bustards Our tribute to this stunning bird.
05 GBG News From Moscow to Iraq we bring you the latest news on the welfare of bustards around the globe, and we have some exci ng prospects for the coming season.
09 Fox Corner Aus n Weldon introduces us to Vulpes Vulpes, the Red Fox.
10 Of Hawks and Falcons Stanislav Khuchraew reminisces on how his love of the natural world began in childhood.
12 Bustardwatch Andrew Taylor reports on the wandering bustards of Britain.
5
Great Bustards in Iraq
GBG News
Moscow VisitIn November David Waters a ended a
scientific conference in Moscow hosted by
the A.N. Severtsov Institute of Evolution
and Ecology (Russian Academy of Science).
Olga Oparina (from the Saratov Branch of
the Institute) presented the joint works of
the Saratov Branch and the GBG. A er the
conference David was able to introduce
Olga to the staff at the Moscow Zoo breed-
ing centre where they were hosted by Pavel
and Tatiana Rozchov who work with the
Great Bustards at the centre. The exchange
of information was very useful and close
links will be maintained between the
Saratov Branch of the Institute and the
Breeding Centre.
Omar Fadhil of the Nature Iraq NGO sent Otis this
picture of illegal hunting from Iraq. There is li le
work being done on the status of the Great
Bustard in Iraq but Nature Iraq recognises that
illegal hunting is a problem. This picture appears
to be taken in the Spring with males in breeding
plumage, and males and females having been
killed together. The photo was taken on the
Iraq/Syria border.
Great Bustards have a survival strategy based on
the long term survival of the adult birds. If they
are hunted in any numbers, the population will
decline and if le unchecked, become extinct.
Education, particularly of the younger genera-
tion, is a useful weapon to counter illegal hunting.
The GBG and Nature Iraq plan to maintain regular
contact and GBG hope to assist Nature Iraq in the
near future with education materials. Illegal hun ng is a problem on the Iraq border
Not all birds are as friendly as Great
Bustards. Those who know Fergus, the
star Great Bustard the GBG keeps at the
Hawk Conservancy Trust, may well know
that he can give a good size bruise if he
nips your leg. The Siberian Cranes at
Moscow Zoo are rather more feisty.
Looking like a riot policeman, Pavel is
wearing the protective kit he needs to
enter the Crane pen.
Keeping the bruises at bay!
Pavel Rozchov with Olga Oparina
Caption Competition winner
“The mee ng went well un l it was announced that David was providing lunch and he was using old army ra ons again.”
Maurice Tinker
Kitted out for safety amongst the cranes
Thanks to everyone
who took part in our
Caption Competition
(Otis Winter 2011).
We have received
some great entries and
choosing a winner was
difficult but we thank
Maurice Tinker of
Hampshire for his
suggestion as it raised
the most smiles at our
selection meeting. Mr.
Tinker wins a crate of
Bustard Ale from
Stonehenge Ales.
6
GBG News
Boys will be boys..Early January saw the strongest winds we
have experienced in England for a long time.
The gales on 3rd January combined with very
heavy rain to give some appalling conditions.
Certainly standing in the mobile home which
serves as GBG’s office on Salisbury Plain in this
weather was like being in a speed boat – the structure was
bouncing around and there was almost zero visibility. The CCTV
camera in the enclosure was facing down wind, and still
provided some very good images as it was pointing away from
the weather. The camera was turned onto two male Great
Bustards known to be in the enclosure as staff were keen to
observe the behaviour of the birds in such inclement weather.
Much to everyone’s surprise, instead of lying low and escaping
the winds the male birds were standing up, looking as tall as
possible and were clearly squaring up to one other. They stood
beak to beak for most of the time, occasionally trying to grab
their opponent. From the middle of December it had been
noted that whiskers and new red neck feathers were appearing
on the males, but this was the first behavioural sign of the
forthcoming lek. It was remarkable that they chose such awful
weather to begin deciding who is the dominant male.
Great Bustards in IranA short report (Podoces 2010, 5(2) 104-6)
describes a breeding survey in an area of
44 square kilometers of cereals and
legumes on the main breeding area of
Sootav plain in northwestern Iran. Here
Bustards have been declining in recent
decades (no figures given) and 13 “breed-
ing pairs” were found in April 2009. The
main cause is said to be advanced irrigated
agroecosystems. Courtship began in late
March and lekking occurred
in mid and late April. Five
nests were found from 7th to
20th May. Four, in wheat,
had three eggs all of which
hatched. During incubation, the
females left the nest for feeding
about one to two hours per day.
The maximum number of birds seen
was in April with 7 males and 19
females. The need for an extensive
survey in Iran is a priority for conserva-
tion.
A fuller survey in Iran between 1990 and
1994 is published in Sandgrouse, 2000
(more accessible for British readers)
in Volume 22 (1) 55-60. This article
records 60 Great Bustard breeding in
21 sites with 200-300 in winter. The
Great Bustard is protected through-
out Iran from 1967 but this is difficult
to control. Poachers could be fined
US$6000 and/or sentenced to
between three months and three
years imprisonment.
The tractor pictured at its first service
Dr Paul O’Donaghue at Chester
University has been making excellent
progress with his genetic study of the
samples sent to him by the GBG. Paul
has broken down the genetic codes to
individual level and can identify
brothers and sisters and more distant
family links. This information will help
GBG to understand much more about
the breeding biology of the species.
Does the lek really get dominated by
one or two males? Will a male be a
successful breeder for more than one
year at a time? How closely related is
the UK population and what are the
real differences, if any, between the
different Great Bustard popula-
tions? To answer this last question
the GBG will be seeking genetic
samples from Great Bustards from
as many populations as possible
- from China in the east to
Portugal in the west.
Genetic Research
Boomer takes a bowThe New Holland Boomer tractor, kindly loaned to the project
by C&O Tractors, has just finished its first fifty hours work at
the Project Site. It was delivered in August, and has since
been used by GBG’s Allan Goddard for tasks such as topping
and ploughing in the release pen. This work is vital to keep
the site a ractive to bustards throughout the year. Having a
brand new and reliable tractor makes it much easier to get
everything done at the right time.
7
GBG News
Naked Calendar
BBC GrantThe GBG is delighted to have been awarded £5000 from the BBC
Wildlife Fund. The grant will provide good quality binoculars
and telescopes for visitors to the project and will also cover the
cost of the producing a new booklet for visitors.
GBG’s ‘Bustards in the Buff’ calendar
has proved to be a huge success – only
a handful remain unsold. In addition to
raising useful funds for the Eggs and
Chicks Appeal the calendar has also
generated invaluable publicity. Local
radio stations and newspapers have
covered the story, usually focusing on
the extreme bravery of Lenka
Panackova who posed naked with
Fergus the Bustard at the Hawk Conser-
vancy Trust. Fergus is well known for
his character and for leaving more than
a few guests with a beak shaped bruise
to take home as a souvenir. Luckily
valiant Lenka escaped without a mark
thanks to discreet bodyguard Karen
Waters, Fergus’ keeper and ‘Mum’.
LIFE+ notice boardsTwo new information boards have been erected as a part of the LIFE+ project. The boards are
displayed at the Bustard Bothy at the Hawk Conservancy Trust and at the viewing area next to
the visitor area at the Salisbury Plain Project Site. The boards give general information about
the Great Bustard and more detailed information about the reintroduction project.
GBG’s sculpture will be painted realis cally
Reintroducing the Great Bustard (O s tarda) to Southern EnglandGreat bustards are the world's heaviest ?ying birds, with males reaching an incredible 20kg in weight. They have a wingspan of 2.5 metres and stand over one metre tall. They are on the
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, and European popula ons have been in long term decline, only arrested by conserva on projects in some areas.
Great bustards in the UK originate from Saratov in Russia. They spend 30 days in quaran ne before being released into secure areas of ideal habitat, where they can socialise with older birds and explore their new surroundings. There will be an annual late-summer release of great bustards for the dura on of the LIFE+ project.
A major aim of the LIFE+ project is to undertake comprehensive monitoring of the birds, gathering informa on from satellite transmi ers and using radio tracking. Each bird is also ? ed with a unique wing tag or leg ring to help both staff and the public to iden fyindividuals.
The LIFE+ project will u lise agri-environment schemes to promote bustard friendly habitat. We will seek to manage areas important for lekking or breeding, by providing advice in key areas for bustards and helping to secure funding for landowners and farmers who wish to help.
Habitat suitable for great bustards is also bene?cial for many of our declining farmland birds. Through our work with Natural England and farmers, loca on of the right habitat in the right places will also help species such as grey partridge and corn bun ng, which u lise wild bird seed mixtures and nectar mixes.
Great bustards are already breeding in the Wiltshire countryside! Three chicks have ?edged over the last three years. The LIFE+ project will build upon this success, develop new release sites and re?nemanagement to ensure increased survival.
www.greatbustard.org/life_project
This project is made possible through the contribu on of the LIFE ?nancial instrument of the European Community. It is important in establishing the Natura 2000 network of protected sites.
Great bustards are a priority species for EU LIFE funding. LIFE+Reintroducing the Great Bustard is a ?ve-year project that began in September 2010. The project partners, RSPB, Great Bustard Group, University of Bath and Natural England, aim to signi?cantly increase the small popula on of great bustards already established on Salisbury Plain.
Reintroducing the Great Busta
rd
LIFE+
Go Bustards!The GBG has placed an order for one of the
Great Bustard sculptures made by the
Warminster based Go Bustards project. The
larger than life sculpture will be painted in
life-like colours by the driving force behind
Go Bustards, the artist Lesley Fudge. It will
also have a special feature - a donation slot
and cash collection box inside. GBG will use
the sculpture to raise funds and increase the
profile of the project. Another Go Bustards
sculpture has been ordered by the Stone-
henge brewery to help promote the Great
Bustard beer.
(Above) Lenka was a great sport and braved Fergus with a smile (Inset) Karen steps in!
GBG News
8
Until now the GBG has
imported juvenile Great
Bustards from the field
station in the village of
Diakovka in Saratov. Very
young chicks would not be
able to survive the two
day journey from there to
the UK, so GBG must wait
until the birds are big and
strong enough. Once in
the UK these birds have 30
days in the confines of
GBG’s quarantine unit
before the release process
can begin. In 2012 GBG will, for the first time, be bringing back Great Bustard
eggs. This will enable the resulting birds to finish all the quarantine health
checks and start the release phase much earlier. It is hoped, and the experi-
ence of projects with other species shows, that this procedure will enable
them to be er adapt to wild conditions and have a greater survival rate. In
order to undertake this major new development the GBG needs to buy the
necessary equipment. It will need a portable incubator for the journey, incuba-
tors and hatchers for the quarantine unit and heat lamps and other similar
equipment. Your help is needed to buy this equipment. Please support the Eggs and Chicks Appeal, full report on page 22.
G’day to an old friendOver the Christmas period the GBG was delighted to
receive a visit from an old friend of the project.
Although not so old, Saul Cowen joined the GBG as a
volunteer when studying for his A levels and then
joined the team in a more formal way during Univer-
sity holidays and in his free time. Saul spent several
long stints in Saratov, producing his University research
there as well as being a regular member of the census
teams. In 2007 Saul le the UK for Australia and has
made a new life out there. Our loss has been their gain
and he is working on the Noisy Scrub Bird, a fascinating
bird, once very close to extinction.
GBG in ArabiaThe GBG was invited to have
a stand at the 3rd World
Festival of Falconry, held in
Abu Dhabi in December.
Although the Arab culture
associated with falconry is
focused around the Houbara
Bustard there is great
interest and enthusiasm for
the whole bustard family.
The festival gave the GBG a
wonderful opportunity to
promote its work and the
plight of the Great Bustard
worldwide to a new, and
extremely interested
audience. A full report on
this trip can be found on
page 20.
This is the only picture taken of Red
28, a female released in 2008, and her
chick from 2011. It shows the chick at
around four weeks old, sadly just a
few days before it was predated.
Hopefully 2012 will bring successful
breeding in Wiltshire once again.
R28 with her chick
Saul and his wife Dearne in the new covered viewing area
Rare photograph
Eggs and Chicks Appeal begins
Great Bustard Group reaches out to new audiences
GBG AbroadFox Corner
9
Introducing Vulpes Vulpes, the Red FoxAus n Weldon reports
This article is the first in a series writ-ten by GBG’s Austin Weldon about the Red Fox, a significant predator of the Great Bustard (Otis tarda).
I am sure the readers of this magazine are familiar
with the Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes), a creature loved
by some, disliked by others but definitely
respected by most. The fox is a creature o en
portrayed as clever and devious in folklore and
children’s books and is a hugely adaptable animal
that occupies a wide variety of habitats covering
approximately 27 million² miles ranging from sea
level to 10,000 feet in height.
The species’ range includes much of the northern
hemisphere, from the Arc c Circle down to north
Africa, from central America across to the Asia c
steppes. Foxes have also been introduced to the
Falkland Islands and Australia where the popula-
on has readily adapted to the new environment.
There are few habitats the fox cannot exist in, with
the excep on of areas with absolute extremes in
The Red Fox (Vulpes Vulpes)
temperature, such as Iceland, the Arc c
islands, Siberia and deserts with extreme
varia ons in climate. Within the UK, the
Red Fox can be found occupying a wide
variety of habitats including mountain and
moorland, dunes and coastal areas,
farmland and woodland and even towns
and ci es. This variety means there are few
places in the Bri sh Isles where foxes are
not found, which therefore increases the
likelihood of conflict with human interests.
Taxonomically the Red Fox is classified
within the Order Carnivora. This encom-
passes the largest group of predators on
earth and a major defining feature is the
possession of true canine teeth. The Red
Fox is also a member of the dog family –
Canidae or Canids and within the Canid
family, in addi on to dogs and foxes, you
will also find jackals and wolves as close
rela ons. The La n name for the Red Fox,
Vulpes vulpes translates literally to mean
fox fox. The fox family consists of approxi-
mately 23 species, and of these the vulpes
foxes include 12 sub-species known as the true
foxes.
Foxy facts;1 The Red Fox occupies approximately 27 million² miles (mostly within the northern hemisphere) from sea level to 10,000 feet.
2 Foxes are closely related to domes c dogs.
3 The Red Fox is one of the 12 true foxes out of a total of 23 species in the fox family.
© Dave Kjaer
Stan-i s l a v
K h u -chraew, Stas to
his friends, is a professional pho-tographer in Russia and here reminisces on how his love of the natural world began.
Birds of prey capture any boy’s imagina on. I
was not an excep on. Raptors silhoue es
decorated coat of arms and shields of
knights, novel heroes bore their names,
legends sang their manners and proud
bearing. Falcons got me exited more than
others. The lightning like falcon could catch
the fastest bird in the world, the Swi , and
get a mighty heron, there was no one to
touch him in the sky. However, it was not a
falcon but a hawk that I met first whilst s ll in
my childhood, a Goshawk.
An ordinary Soviet boy, proud of his great
and mighty motherland (although I tended
to hide my red neck- e in my pocket right
a er classes) I had been ‘serving my me’
in a pioneer campus. Nearly every child was
supposed to stay, at least, for a month.
There we lived, far from our families,
making new friends and ceaselessly looking
for entertainments.
Every day I had been hanging around the
forest nearby looking for some adventures
and once caught sight of a bird that didn’t hit
her prey but rather took it carefully, emerg-
ing all of a sudden around a bush. Immedi-
ately I recognised a hawk, sharp yellow eyes,
striped breast and cat-like grace. Since then
I met her con nually, I never stopped to look
for her wherever I was, around the dining-
shack, on the sport ground, in the garden
where we pinched green apples, in the forest
– she was everywhere as it was her hun ng
area. Swi and maneuverable she rushed
through dense thicket not even touching
them, made a sudden piroue e and always
gained her prey.
The hawk eventually outshone the falcon in
my imagina on, I became deeply charmed
by her complicated acroba cs. She was
called an air cat, it is hardly possible to find
words to be er fit her manners.
Years went by, I had read everything I could
find about the bird. I happened to see
hun ng birds but they always looked so
wretched, far from that graceful dancer I met
as a boy. Of course, I did want, in my dreams,
to have a devoted well -trained friend on my
leather glove, I thought the me would
come, and my own bird would never be kept
in such miserable way.
I was now sixteen. I had friends amongst
hunters and biologists, they taught me to
recognise birds by their silhoue es, to read
animals tracks, to understand the laws of
nature. It was the me of my ini a on into
wild life mysteries.
Once my elder friend Nikolaich, who was at
that me a Diakovka natural reserve warden
offered me to accompany him to a distant
“cordon”. With some simple presents from
a small village store off we went. The forest
road wound between pine and birch
groves, along thicket of white acacia. The
small tractor worked hard climbing up
dunes all covered by blooming bushes and
flowers then ploughing mellow sand in
hollows. At the end of our journey we passed
through an old apple orchard and at the far
edge of it there was a majes c black poplar
giving shelter to an ancient though s ll sturdy
wooden house with a bathhouse and a well,
surrounded by offensive vegeta on. That
was what they called the cordon.
© Dave Kjaer
10
Meet Stanislav Khuchraew
Keep the Nestof Hawks and Falcons
(Inset) Stas with colleague and co-founder of Studio F (x), Olga Kishinevsky (Above) Goshawk
Two big dogs welcomed us with ferocious
barking though it was just a threat. They
showed us to the house, eyes curious and
tails wagging with hope for whatever snacks
we had for them. Our hosts, game keepers,
were open minded and friendly towards
their rare guests. They invited the newcom-
ers to have a dinner with them on a vast
veranda and talked their slow talk with a cup
of tea with forest berries jam. The place and
people living there had that roman c touch
of forest life isolated from city life. For me
those people looked more kind and cheerful
than anybody. Their souls seemed clean and
honest. So I remembered fondly the cordon.
Many mes since then, passing this place by,
I recalled the feeling and my soul rejoiced.
Not far from there I first saw the nest of a
Goshawk, the largest in the hawk family. So
high above the ground, at the top of a mighty
tree there was a long-exis ng nest. There
were three fledged chicks hopping among
the branches and their restless parents were
flashing in the sky. The smaller one, nearly
white in colour was the male and the bigger,
en rely grey, was the female. There was no
chance to climb up this majes c old poplar,
amongst other giants it was the greatest. Its
bark was wrinkled below and absolutely
smooth above, no branches in the middle,
with a dense crown, too small for its size.
The giant’s branches wove up in height,
nearly blocking the sky, keeping the sun
from touching the ground, discouraging any
vegeta on from living close by.
Nikolaich took me to the tree with the nest
and said “Watch it but never show it to
anybody because..” He didn’t finish the
sentence and only much later I realised
what he hadn’t said aloud.
I had been watching this breeding site for
many years, had been studying it and trying
not to disturb it. There were two nests,
actually, the birds used both by turns.
Some me later I revealed the nest loca on
to a few fellow biology students at their
promise to never climb those trees. I didn’t
think of the consequences then and that was
a fatal mistake. By that moment I had already
given up crazy no ons of keeping birds of
prey in cap vity but among my friends
there were s ll people dreaming
of capturing a chick. Red-
Footed Falcons, Kestrels,
Long-Eared-Owls, minks,
fox puppies, jerboas,
and even the rare Grey
Tawny Owl had been
captured and
inevitably ended up
dead.
Shortly a er the
secret revela on I met
my friend Vladimir.
Actually I visited him in
his room within the student
dormitory and realised that he was hiding a
bus cket to Diakovka. It was strikingly
unusual as a students usual habit was to
widely announce a proposed trip in a search
of companions. Suspicions rose in my mind.
We had talked about the nest recently, he
badly wanted to have a Goshawk, but had
given me his word that he would not touch
the nest. And now it was the new season and
there were chicks in the nest… Was he really
going to steal chicks or maybe he was just
going to visit fellow students working in the
Diakovka natural reserve? I decided there
was no sense to argue, instead I would
outrun him... To be con nued. Part 2 of Stas’
remarkable memories will be printed in the
next edi on of O s.
11
The Forests of Diakovka in Russia are home to many species of raptors
Bustardwatch
Wandering bustardsAndrew Taylor reports
12
It has become a familiar story - newly released bustards explor-ing the southwest of England. This year's birds have been no exception.Black 6 was the first to leave the release site,
within 24 hours, and has always seemed the
most adventurous. A bustard was seen flying
out to sea off Portland Bill at dawn on 5th
November. The next day, Black 6 was iden -
fied in a field at South Huish, near
Kingsbridge in south Devon. It seems to have
se led well in the area, enjoying the sea
views and finding fields of oil seed rape and
weedy overwintered stubble to feed in. It
was last seen near Soar in early December,
but is unlikely to have gone far. We await the
next sigh ng with interest.
One of our female bustards carrying a radio
necklace found its way to the coast further
east, near Langton Matravers in Purbeck. It
was first seen here on 21st November, a er
being spo ed flying over Poole during the
previous week. A er a few days here, it
disappeared for almost a month. The next
sigh ng was a big surprise - across the
channel in Normandy. The bird was seen
regularly around Montchaton, near the
southern end of the Cherbourg peninsula, for
two weeks up to the end of December. This is
the first sigh ng of a Great Bustard from the
project in France since 2005.
In mid-December, a different bird with a radio
transmi er was disturbed by a game shoot
near Langton Herring. This happens to be the
same place as Pink 1 and Pink 15 spent
several months last winter. A few days later, it
had moved back east a few miles, being seen
at Ringstead Bay. The same a ernoon, it flew
over Broadwey near Weymouth, then it was
tracked down once more in fields near
Buckland Ripers on 18th December. It may
well se le in this area for the winter, as its
compatriots did last year, but there were no
further sigh ngs over Christmas.
061111 Peter Aley South Huish Devon
181211 Paul Harris Buckland Ripers Dorset
These movements do not always have a
happy ending. One male bird was carrying a
satellite transmi er, so we could follow its
movements on a daily basis. It set off on 31st
October and moved steadily southwest for
several weeks. Sometimes it would fly ten or
fi een kilometres each day, and sometimes it
would stay in the same area for days. Follow-
ing up the transmission points, we could see
that it was hopping from oil seed rape field to
oil seed rape field. As far as we know, it was
only seen twice in this time, once by a farmer
near Gussage St Michael, and once by Dorset
Wildlife Trust staff near Wool. By the begin-
ning of December, it had reached the coast,
near East Chaldon in Dorset. It spent several
weeks here, and looked to be se led for the
winter. GBG’s Allan Goddard, who is currently
living in Dorset, was able to tell local farmers
that it was around, and saw the bird several
times. Sadly, although it seemed to be acquit-
ting itself well, it was found dead by a farmer
on 18th December. The culprit? A fox.
In contrast to all these southwesterly move-
ments, one bird decided to take the opposite
approach.
On 17th November, a Great Bustard was seen flying over Queen Mother Reservoir, between Slough and Heathrow Airport in Berkshire.
Although we do not know the identity of the
bird involved, a broken feather on the right
wing provides some evidence that it is from
this year's releases, as captive-reared birds
do sometimes sustain feather damage. This
individual was passing through an area of
completely unsuitable habitat, and we have
no idea where its journey may have ended.
This is the furthest east any bird from the
project has ever been seen.
Several young bustards at both release sites
have taken the sensible but less exciting
option of staying where they were released,
with the adult birds which are also around.
These have almost certainly decided to stay
for the winter.
We have made sure that lots of food, especially oil seed rape, is available, so this option is there for any bird which chooses it.
We are keen to encourage the birds to be as
unadventurous as possible! In early January,
we were delighted to see interchange
between the two release sites for the first
time. Black 9 had been in the company of a
2004 female, Orange 15, around the new
release site for several months. A er a brief
absence, both appeared early in January at
the original release site, in the company of
females from 2005 and this year's release.
This is exactly the behaviour we hoped to see
when releasing birds at separate but nearby
sites.
For all the movements we know about, there are plenty more which remain a mystery at the moment. Not many birds carry satellite transmitters, so we are reliant on reports from members of the public.
13Great Bustards are dis nc ve birds. There is a guide on our ‘Report a Sigh ng’ page
© Dave Kjaer
If you are lucky enough to encounter a
Great Bustard, or hear about a sighting:
www.greatbustard.org/about-us/sightings/
Telephone: +44 (0)1980 671 466
The Great Bustard is return-ing to Britain. Slowly but surely this incredible bird, once commonplace in the Bri sh countryside, is making the rolling hills of Wiltshire its home a er an absence of 175 years.
The public is following the reintroduc-
on with interest, and the welfare of
the bustard in Britain will rest with
future genera ons so educa on,
conserva on and respect for the birds
habitat must be a priority. With this in
mind we have introduced ‘Bustard
Buddies’ a pullout and keep magazine
for Junior supporters. ‘Bustard
Buddies’ was born through our
commitment to educa on in schools
and organisa ons that promote knowl-
edge and respect of the Bri sh wildlife
in general, and the Great Bustard in
par cular.
‘Bustard Buddies’ will bring the bustard
to young supporters, schools and
groups such as Brownies, Guides and
Scouts, providing fun facts about the
bird and the habitat it frequents.
Introduced by our friendly bustard
‘Beaker,’ ‘Bustard Buddies’ launches
this month and will appear
in each edi on of
O s thereaf-
ter.
Bustard Buddies
14
Bustards for childrenSuzy Elkins welcomes young GBG members
Youngsters were given the chance to join in, thanks to the Hawk Conservancy Trust in Andover
GBG and Educa onSteve Backshall, star of CBBC’s Live and
Deadly show, hosted a series of ‘Deadly
Days Out’ in 2010 and GBG were invited
to attend to talk to the crowds about
Great Bustards and the reintroduc on
project. We have also attended many other
such events including Bristol Fes val of
Nature and BBC Wildlife Fund public days in
London and Southampton. At each event
children were invited to par cipate in
interac ve ac vi es, to plunge their hands if
they dared into a tank of live mealworms and
see a range of short films on the life of the
Great Bustard both in Britain and Russia.
INSIDE - How much do you know about Great Bustards?
Learnhow to make
a baby Beaker
The Junior magazine of the Great Bustard Group. Issue 1. Spring 2012
No ordinary looking bird! looking bird!
Send us your
funny animal photos!
funny animal photos!
Bigger pom pom
Smaller pom pom
Cut out the shapes (right). Draw round them and cut templates out of card.
Cut 2 of each circle, then cut a hole in the middle of each
one to form a dough-nut shape. Put
the circles together in pairs.
Hi! I’m Beaker the
Bustard and this is
my helper Jayne!
Welcome to our
activity page.
Today I’ll show
you how to make
your very own
baby bustard!
Simply follow the
instructions below..
Wool Scrap cardboard (ie cereal box) Scissors Fuzzy pipecleaners
Feet
Wings
Beak
Let’s get started..Let’s get started..
Get Busy with BeakerGet Busy with Beaker
You will need..You will need.. Coloured card Glue Googly eyes Felt
To make the bird..To make the bird..
Cut a long piece of wool off the ball.
Start wrapping the wool through the hole in the middle of the card and around the outside.
Keep wrapping wool around un l the hole in the middle is almost full. Do not wrap it too ghtly as this will make the next stage very hard.
With a pair of scissors carefully poke the point into the outside edge of the circle. Cut a small amount so you can see the card.
Cut two wing shapes from felt and s ck them to the sides of the lower pom pom with glue.
Cut the beak shape from felt, fold and s ck the folded edge to the top pom pom with glue.
Glue two googly eyes above the beak and say hello to your baby Beaker!
Tie the two pom poms together. Cut two 3 inch lengths of pipecleaner and s ck into the lower pom pom ball with glue. Bend the ends up a li le.
Cut feet shapes from felt and s ck to the bended pipecleaner ends.
Cut around the circle with the point of the scissors between the card. They should now look like this!
Cut a lenth of wool and e it around the pom pom, in between the two pieces of card. pull it ght and e a double knot.
Now you can remove the cardboard circles. Give your pom pom a shake and trim off any straggly bits.
Do Great Bustards mind the cold?
No. Great Bustards have been found living happily in
temperatures of -30C.
Which is heaviest, female or male?
The male. It can weigh between 8 and 21kg. Females weigh just 3
to 5kg, a hugedifference!
What is a GreatBustard?
The Great Bustard is a very large bird that
used to live in Britain but was hunted until
the last one was gone.
Bustard Bustard
How big is a Great Bustard?
A Great Bustard can grow to be 1 metre tall, weighing up to 21kg (that’s 21 big
bags of sugar!)
How far can a Great Bustard fly?
As far as it wants! Great Bustards can cross the North Sea
and the English Channel without any
problems.
... make a ‘scrape’ in the ground instead
of a nest
... are the heaviest of all flying animals
alive today
... are omnivores, eating both vegeta-
tion and meat
... live in flocks called ‘droves’
Great Bustards....Great Bustards....... have up to a 2.5 metre wingspan
... are capable of running very, very
fast
... have two chicks at a time, only one usually survives
... cannot perch - they have no hind
claw!
... appear on the Wiltshire Coat of
Arms
GreatGreat
Send us your funny animal photos!Send us your funny animal photos!Email to: [email protected] to: [email protected] post to: Bustard Buddies, 1, Down Barn Close, Winterbourne Gunner, Wiltshire, SP4 6JP
... males cannot breed until they are
5 years old
FactsFacts
GBG in Hungary
Kate Ashbrook reports on Great Bustard conservation in Dévaványa, Hungary. Hungary is estimated to hold 3% of the
world’s Great Bustards; however, over the
last century, a switch to more intensive
farming practices, winter food shortages and
fragmentation of bustard habitats led to their
decline here. Since the 1990s, the population
has increased through conservation by the
Túzokvédelmi Program (Bustard Protection
Program) as well as changes in land-use.In
November I visited the Dévaványa Landscape
Protection Area (Tájvédelmi Körzet) within
the Körös-Maros National Park with Dr.Zsolt
Végvári from the University of Debrecen. The
Dévaványa Landscape Protection Area was
established in 1975 to safeguard Hungary’s
largest population of Great Bustards.
At the project site we met park rangers Tibor
Lengyel, László Puskás, and Gábor Czifrák,
who showed us around their chick rearing
facilities, 6-hectare pen for injured birds and
huge 400-hectare release pen. The larger pen
is used to release chicks reared at the rescue
centre and also supports up to 40 displaying
males and 50 females in the Spring. Although
it was very foggy on the day of my visit, even
a er a 10-minute drive on a frozen track to
the centre of the pen (it was a bone-chilling
-9°C!), I still could not see the fence at the
other side! Before the release pen was
established, this area was intensively-
managed arable land and only one nesting
female was found annually. Since then, the
numbers of nesting females has increased,
with 14 families observed in 2011. The pen is
managed to contain a mosaic of only four
arable habitat; 220 hectares is grassland,
with the remaining 180 hectares managed as
lucerne, oil seed rape and fallow areas.
Around the pen there are tall observation
towers, allowing staff to monitor birds inside
and around the pen.
The project workers provide information to farmers across the 13,000 hectare Körös-Maros National Park on how to protect females and their nests by modi-fying their farming practices.
However, this is not always possible and
around 35 endangered eggs are recovered by
the project staff each year from nest sites up
to 50 kilometres away.
These eggs are incubated at the rescue
station and once hatched, chicks are given
individually-numbered leg rings and kept
inside a small heated area until they are three
weeks old. They are then transferred to a
larger, outdoor rearing pen which is sown
with alfalfa and are given a variety of food
including cooked potato, beef heart, egg,
co age cheese, ground maize and linseed.
While in this rearing pen, the chicks have
access to a small roosting shed and are
walked for up to 2 hours in a long fenced
outdoor corridor.
When the chicks are 6-8 weeks old and are
ready to fly, they are fi ed with individually-
numbered wing-tags or leg-rings and
released into an introductory area at the
centre of the 400-hectare release pen. This is
a small mosaic of all the habitat types in the
pen, bordered by a natural fence of
sunflower or maize strips. Released birds can
stay around this introductory area for up to
two months before exploring more widely in
the pen or leaving the release pen entirely
and joining up with wild birds outside.
Newly-released birds prefer to feed on
lucerne, before switching to oil seed rape and
will move to grassland areas during sunny
weather, where there is a greater abundance
and diversity of insects to feed on.
Despite my limited time at the Dévaványa
Landscape Protection Area, it was a
thoroughly interesting trip and made
especially enjoyable by the informative and
enthusiastic rangers. I hope the information
gathered during this trip, together with
strengthening links with Great Bustard
conservation managers and scientists in
Hungary, may help to generate new ideas for
conservation of this enigmatic species.
Hungary Visit
19
Kate Ashbrook reports
Dévaványa Landscape Protec on Area Rangers Tibor Lengyel, László Puskás, andGábor Czifrák, with Dr.ZsoltVégvári from the University of Debrecen (second from right).
Great Bustard in the frost
20
In 2009 the second International Festival of Falconry was held in the UK, close to Reading. At short notice the GBG was invited to take a stand in the conservation tent, and was happy to oblige. The event is held every two years, and in
2011 it was, for the first time in the United
Arab Emirates in a city called Al Ain in the Abu
Dhabi Emirate, and again the GBG was invited
to a end. Falconry has a huge cultural signifi-
cance in the Arab countries. The ancient and
modern relevance of the art of falconry has
even been recognised by the United Nations
who have listed falconry with the awkward
title of " registered in the UNESCO Represen-
tative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage".
The Festival of Falconry was preceded by a
desert camp with falconry hunting parties
heading out into the desert on camels and
other traditional activities such as racing
Salukis - the desert greyhounds. The Festival
itself was held over 3 days and had an
impressive 78 nations represented. The main
theme, was of course, falconry, but there
were displays of conservation of raptors from
the South American rainforest to Saker
Falcon projects in Mongolia, stands on the
rehabilitation of injured raptors and on the
conservation of prey species.
The Great Bustard is not a traditional quarry
of falconers, but the bustard family is at the
heart of the Arabian falconry scene. The
Houbara is a medium size bustard and has
been the traditional and highly prized quarry
for falconers. Increased hunting pressure
caused local population declines and some of
the hunters, empowered by oil generated
wealth, began travelling further and further
to hunt Houbara. This followed wider
population threats and the long term survival
of the species was questioned.
Significant investment was made in the development of captive breeding techniques for the Hou-bara and the investment paid off.
Today Houbara are bred and released in huge
numbers with projects ranging from Morocco
(The African Houbara has recently been split
into a separate species) in the west, to
Pakistan in the east. Many of the birds are
released for the purpose of providing quarry
for falconers, but others are released in
conservation areas. Releasing birds to be
hunted may not be to everyone's taste, but in
practical terms these birds do have a conser-
vation value as their presence takes the
pressure off wild stocks.
The National Avian Research Centre (NARC) is
situated in the desert just outside Abu Dhabi.
It is a part of the International Fund for
Houbara Conservation and hosts research
scientists studying Houbara throughout their
range as well as a breeding centre for the
species. The scale and the style of the opera-
tion is both incredible and impressive. One
large building with its dedicated staff produce
a staggering 35 kgs of mealworms every day.
Alongside is a similar building producing the
same quantities of crickets and next to them
another producing mice, all to be fed to the
Houbara at the Centre. The numbers of birds
produced is even more staggering. The
combined centres of the International Fund
For Houbara Conservation have a goal to
produce 35,000 Houbara annually. The NARC
in Abu Dhabi has an annual target of 5000
birds produced each year.
The loca on of the Fes val of Falconry - quite a venue
GBG Abroad
The high tech breeding rooms with their state of the art incubators
International Falconry ConferenceDavid Waters reports from the United Arab Emirates
21
The techniques used are those of mass
production, perhaps one thinks of the poultry
industry rather than typical conservation
projects when considering the scale of opera-
tions. Artificial insemination is the usual
method for fertilising eggs and the eggs are
artifically incubated and the chicks hand
reared.
One more remarkable fact about the produc-
tion of Houbara is the speed of the success. It
was as recently as the year 2000 that conser-
vation breeding of Houbara was declared
successful when 17 chicks were produced.
Since then the numbers have climbed
dramatically. Otis hopes to have a detailed
account from the NARC in a future issue.
The Fes val of Falconry was an invaluable opportunity to promote the Great Bustard to a new and a wider audience, as well as to share experiences with the Houbara projects.
During the festival one traditionally dressed
Arab gentleman majestically approached one
of the GBG's roller banners that sports a big
picture of a male Great Bustard in breeding
plumage. A er a dramatic pause he
announced in a powerful voice "These are
beautiful birds, maybe the most beautiful of
all birds, but with regret - I hate them". Such
a statement could not go uninvestigated and
an enquiry brought the following story. The
man had been hunting Great Bustards in
Ukraine. Now this is an illegal activity but had
apparently been organised by a Russian
agency, and the story teller was of the
opinion that he had all the required paper-
work. The hunting party spo ed a large male
Great Bustard and the hunter released his
favourite and largest falcon. Once the falcon
had sufficient height the bustard was flushed
and the falcon immediately stooped down on
it. They both hit the ground at the same time,
then much to the amazement of the story
teller, the Great Bustard opened its beak,
swi ly killed his precious falcon, then flew off
again! A sad tale for all concerned but there
certainly appears to be a moral there.
The Houbara Bustard
(Above) Fascina ng sights of the show (Inset) new supporters
22
GBG Appeal 2012
History in the making Alex Sto reports on an exci ng new development
Since the launch of the Great Bustard Group ten years ago, chicks have been carefully hatched, reared, and selected in Russia before being transported to the UK for release.
This approach has worked well, with many
improvements having been made between
release cycles to minimise the impact on the
birds and increase their chances of survival
once released. With the global Great Bustard
popula on under threat, crea ng a stable UK
popula on remains a high priority.
A second phase to the re-introduc on project
has now been put into ac on, enabling the
GBG to begin an exci ng new phase
alongside the proven rear-and-release
strategy. We are aiming to make 2012 the
first year that Great Bustard eggs are hatched
and reared on UK soil.
Ge ng to this point has taken a great deal of
work from the GBG team and its partners.
Great Bustards remain enigma c birds, their
o en complex behaviours con nue to be
monitored and analysed in order to gain a
be er understanding of them. This under-
standing con nues to help the GBG to
improve their methods for dealing with the
birds.
Hatching eggs in the UK presents an effec ve
way to reduce the stress of transpor ng the
birds and acclima se them to the Wiltshire
countryside. One of the most significant
barriers to releasing healthy birds is damage
to flight feathers, o en caused or exacer-
bated by containment in enclosed spaces. By
rearing the birds in the UK, me spent in
enclosed spaces can be minimised as can
contact with humans.
Great Bustard chicks during the rearing process
Taking these
steps requires
even more work
from the GBG team. The
young birds require frequent
feeding and care. Steps must be taken to
avoid the birds imprinting on humans (the
Great Bustard puppet is a well-known charac-
ter amongst our regular readers) and these
extra birds will double many of the standing
release costs.
23
Incubating the eggs is a precise science
complicated by transporting them. Two sets
of incubators will be required; incubators to
be used in the UK to hatch the birds and
specialist travel incubators with independent
power sources.
The birds must also be quaran-ned and undergo several health
checks before they can be released. This new phase of the project is a daun ng but exci ng one.
What you can doTo raise funds for the necessary equipment
and expenses, which total £10,000, the GBG
have launched a fundraising appeal.
Whilst the GBG has been fortunate to have
received several grants over the past few
years, these funds have already been
allocated, meaning the charity of GBG
supporters is needed.
There are lots of ways to donate to the
project quickly and simply. Anyone with a
credit or debit card can donate securely using
PayPal (no PayPal account required) on our
website or make a donation on our Just
Giving page. Links to all of these can be found
at: greatbustard.org/appeal
The GBG has also launched a brand-new
range of virtual gi s purchasable on our
website at h p://greatbustard.org/store The
gi s range from just £10 to help rescue an
endangered egg from the Russian steppes, or
£40 to rear a chick in the first weeks of its life,
to £600 to help us purchase a portable
incubator to bring eggs back from Russia to
the UK. Each gi comes with a downloadable
certificate, making them an idea gi for a
loved one.
We're also most grateful of donations via
cheque made payable to 'Great Bustard
Group' and sent to: Great Bustard Group, 1
Down Barn Close, Winterbourne Gunner,
Salisbury, Wiltshire SP4 6JP, UK. There is an
addressed envelope in this edition of Otis.
We'll be tracking the progress of this appeal
online at greatbustard.org/appeal as well as
posting updates on the eggs as they make
their way from Russia to the UK.
GBG volunteer and friend of the bustardFred with Russian student Georgii Mezirov
Chicks at an early stage of their freedom
Don't forget you can also follow us on twitter at http://twitter.com/bustardgroupand on Facebook at http://facebook.com/bustardgroup
24
International Relations
Great Bustards in PortugalBill and Ann Jordan report
Bill and Ann Jordan visited Portu-gal in 2011 and report on the progress of the bird population there.
Population Until 1976, the Great Bustard population of
Portugal was largely unknown. Of course,
during this period both travel and access to
the remote areas of the Alenlentejo was
relatively difficult. From 1976 to 1979 Nigel
Collar (Bird Life International) gradually
surveyed most of the suitable habitat, count-
ing 650 individuals during March and April,
when birds are concentrated at breeding
sites and the vegetation is short. Extrapolat-
ing to include other sites with incomplete
coverage, a total population of up to 1,000
was suggested.
Later, in 1980, Marcia Pinto and Paul Goriup
(Now Vice President of GBG and Chair of the
Technical Working Groups) found 844 birds
and in 1981 Marcia Pinto counted a total of
1,015. Before EU entry (1984) agriculture in
Portugal was at a relatively low intensity, and
concern was then expressed about the
effects of future change in land use, particu-
larly the loss of fallow areas.
Impressively, the latest national survey in March/April 2011 revealed around 1,500 birds. However, this total results mainly
from active, successful conserva-tion in one area of the Alentejo, Castro Verde.
Locations
Great Bustards are found in about ten
locations on the plains of the Alentejo
Region. This lies to the east and south of
Lisbon, adjoining central Spain, and to the
north of the Algarve coastal belt and hills.
The main site lies to the east of the town of
Castro Verde with a population of 1,300
Great Bustards counted in 2011 (see below).
The remaining 200 birds are found in nine
other locations in the Alentejo, including
Beira, Moura and, to the west of Elvas, Vila
Fernando.
Some of these populations have declined in recent years due to intensification of agriculture with the loss of fallow habitat.
This is especially true of the population near
Moura, whilst that near Vila Fernando may
be more stable. A further ‘new’ group of
about 30 birds was recently discovered in the
Guadiana Valley near Mertola (2011).
Habitats The main habitat consists of remote, rolling
plains. These are cropped with one year
cereals, followed by 3 to 4 years of fallow,
during which grass and wild flowers re-
colonise the land, creating spectacular
colourful landscapes and feeding areas for
wildlife. Ca le and sheep are also grazed on
the fallow fields. Great Bustards feed on
insects (grasshoppers etc) and plant leaves in
both cereals and fallow areas and in the
winter, fallen olives.
Mortality of Young
In Portugal, as in other countries, there is a
high mortality of young birds, of 70% to 90%
in the first twelve months of life. This loss
occurs mainly between the chick hatching
and its separation from the mother at about
six months old and is caused principally by
foxes and feral dogs. These are trapped and
shot.
Some deaths occur from power line
collisions. For example, at Castro Verde, there
are around 20 fatalities per year, even though
the 40 km of power lines are marked.
DispersalIn summer and winter, young males, as single
birds or small groups, fly up to 200km to the
north, near to Lisbon. They also cross the
Spanish border, with possible interchange
between populations. (Some young birds
have been fi ed with numbered wing tags, as
on Salisbury Plain).
Mature males usually move locally as a group for only about 30 km from the breeding areas.
Ann on bustard plains at Castro Verde.
25
Bustard Conservation at Castro Verde
A bustard conservation project was started
at Castro Verde in the 1990’s, because some
of the most important areas for ‘steppe’ birds
were being bought by paper companies
intending to grow Eucalyptus tree planta-
tions. With funding help from a European
Community LIFE Programme (1998), the LPN
(Liga para a Proteccao da Natureza) was able
to buy five farms, a total of 1,700 hectares
(4,000 acres) and to manage them for the
conservation of steppe birds. An additional
farm was recently bought.(total 1,800 ha).
No chemical sprays are used on the LPN farmland. The total SPA (Special Protection Area) now covers 80,000 ha. (200,000 acres) around Castro Verde. Farmer participation is optional and varies from 25% to 50% accord-ing to the payments
The main land ‘prescriptions’ here are now :-
1. The earliest date for cereal harvest of 15th
June (to prevent nest destruction).
2. The percentage of land under cereals is
around 25% (to provide sufficient fallow area
for feeding and nesting). A thin strip of cereal
crop is o en sown through the fallow area.
3. Maximum stocking densities are, for ca le
(0.7/ha) and sheep (5/ha) (to prevent nest
trampling).
4. The growing of legume crops such as beans
and chick peas for bustard food.
5. Hunting is controlled in the SPA and
traditional farming is encouraged.
The long-term increase in numbers of Great
Bustard at Castro Verde is impressive:-
The sex ratio in 2011 was 1.1 females to each
male (compared to a 50:50 ratio at the main
Spanish site at Villafafila).
Visiting Castro Verde from the United Kingdom Late March to early May is the best time to
see the Great Bustard display. There are
numerous flights from the UK to Faro
(Algarve) from which ‘hire cars’ can take a
new motorway (IP1) towards Lisbon, a er
about 50 miles turn east for Castro Verde.
It is very important to avoid disturbing the birds on leks, bustards should be viewed from public roads from which they can easily be seen.
For example, 10 miles east of Castro Verde,
on road N123, towards Mertola, look to the
south just before the village of Sao Marcos da
Ataboeira and a pine plantation on a hill top.
Also, about 10 miles north east of Castro
Verde, on E 802 (YP2) road to Beja, turn le at
Entradas on to minor road which runs to the
north west to Carregueiro.
Please visit the LPN Information Centre
(Centro de Educao Ambiental de Castro
Verde). This is located along the old road
(Avenue Bombeiros Voluntarios), which runs
north east from Castro Verde, parallel with
the new road E 802. A er 6 km. turn right on
to a track towards the Centre. This is open
Tuesday to Saturday inclusive: Telephone (00
351) 286 32 83 09. The building is well
equipped and will provide information and
Land Rover trips to see the birds in the area.
While we were there in June, a farmer
telephoned to report a female with 3
chicks!---3 egg clutches are common here.
Accommodation is available in Castro Verde
at ‘Aparthotel do Castro’, Rua Seara Nova,
7780-163 Castro Verde, Portugal, Telephone
(00 351) 286 32 02 50 .
We gratefully acknowledge the help and
information kindly supplied to us by staff at
the LPN Centre at Castro Verde, Joao
Guilherme and Catia Marques (June 2011) (
and Pedro Rocha 2005)
1986 500 (approx.) (The Life fund
was introduced in 1998).
2002 920
2005 1,037
2011 1,300
Contact addressesjoao. [email protected]@lpn.ptBill and Ann Jordan (2012) [email protected]
Horses grazing Castro Verde bustard plains
Many people are surprised to learn that there are some two dozen species of Bustard in the world. The exact number depends on whether
ornithologists classify two birds as one
species or whether they divide one into two
species. One classification suggested there
were 30 species of Bustard, another that
there were 22. The third volume of The
Handbook of the Birds of the World (del Hoyo
et al 1996, Lynx Editions, Barcelona)
describes 25 species in the family Otididae.
These are all illustrated in colour and each
has a map showing their world distribution.
Much of this article is taken from that
authoritative text, wri en by Nigel Collar, but
it is o en difficult to generalize and many
species have not been studied in detail.
No Bustards occur in the Ameri-cas but otherwise Bustards have a wide geographical spread.
They are an ancient family probably originat-
ing in sub-Saharan Africa where there are
now 21 species. Their position in the
evolutionary tree has been uncertain but
they are now thought to be most closely
related to the cranes (Graidae). Earlier
classifications, for over 250 years, had related
the Bustards to the Ostrich, rails, waders, the
African Secretary-bird and even flamingoes.
No wonder then that one textbook says
Bustards “have traditionally been classified in
what might almost be called a chaotic
manner”. Four species of Bustard are threat-
ened with extinction but none have become
extinct in recent times. They nest on the
ground with only a minimum of nesting
material and sometimes none at all. Amid
much confusion, and many contradictions,
there is a diversity of mating systems. Some
species may be monogamous, others form
tenuous pair bonds and the Great Bustard is
promiscuous. In all species, as far as is
known, the males take no part in either the
incubation or rearing the young. Bustards
are long lived but have slow reproductive
rates. Usually not more than two eggs are
laid except for the Lesser Florican and the
Li le Bustard which can lay up to four or five.
Incubation is usually three to four weeks.
Young Bustards are active imme-diately a er hatching (precocial) and leave the nest quickly (nidifugous).
As a family, Bustards have various character-
istics: they have long necks and no hind toes,
they are highly territorial, flying rather li le
but capable of powerful and sustained flight
on their long broad wings. It is thought that
many Bustards spend days, possibly weeks,
without taking to the air. They generally
move with a steady walk on long stout legs.
They lack a preen or uropygial gland but have
dense friable pinkish powder-down which is
used to groom their feathers. Bustards do
not bathe in water.
Many people are also surprised at the
variation in size of the members of the
Bustard family. According to The Handbook
of the Birds of the World the male Kori
Bustard reaches 19 kg and the Great Bustard
18 kg although some hunters have claimed
up to 24 kg for the Great Bustard. However
these weights are exceptional and most male
Bustards weigh considerably less. Some
smaller species of Bustards are known as
Floricans.
In the large Bustards the females are two-thirds the height and
only one-third the weight of the males.
This is known as sexual dimorphism which is
reversed in the two Indian Floricans where
the females are the heavier. The lightest
Bustard is the Lesser Florican of India at less
than half a kilogram. No wonder it is difficult
to generalize about a Family where one
species weighs some 40 times as much as
another. Bustards occupy temperate and
tropical grassy plains, sometimes open bush
and thorn scrub, tall grass and now increas-
ingly farm-land. Some species occupy near
desert regions. They are usually silent but all
have some vocalizations: a few have a clear
whistle and others a variety of snorts, frog-
like calls and belches. They are omnivorous
and feed on what is readily available which is
mostly vegetable ma er, insects, including
locusts, grasshoppers, and beetles, and
carrion.
Genus Otidae
26
A look at the bustard family - Otidaeby Prof. Estlin Waters
Estlin Waters Prof.
27
It has been estimated that the White-quilled
Bustard of South Africa may eat 200,000
termites in a year.
Young birds are fed mostly on insects, bill to bill, and the breed-ing season is usually timed to coincide with insect availability.
Young birds remain with their mothers for
many months after fledging which is usually
at about five weeks. Bustards do sometimes
drink but this appears to be unnecessary in
most species. Bustards often have highly
elaborate displays which are very variable
from species to species.
Great Bustards in spring have a neck pouch (known as the gular sac) which they use to inflate their necks.
The Australian Bustard uses its oesophagus
to distend its neck which droops almost to
the ground. Bustard displays are usually on
the ground, often on an eminence. Eight
species, especially those inhabiting areas
with high vegetation, have aerial displays,
some flying up, others leaping several meters
in the air and parachuting down. Bustards
typically rest drawing their heads back on the
shoulders rather than with the bill tucked in
the wing. This is also the position the females
take when incubating.
Bustards are usually shy and retiring, especially where perse-cuted, but can o en be closely approached on horseback or in a vehicle.
Movements of Bustards are variable: some of
the more northerly species migrate, often
only in severe weather conditions, while
others are mainly sedentary. Most Bustards
have dispersive movements and some are
nomadic. The larger species tend to move in
flocks often flying fairy low. Migration is
usually at night. In general the African
species have rather limited distributions.
Others such as the Great Bustard have a
highly fragmented breeding distribution from
Morocco in the southwest to Mongolia in the
northeast and the Australian Bustard which
occupies most of Australia and southern New
Guinea. Some Bustards are, or were, present
in large numbers. In the 1930s, some
200,000 to 300,000 Li le Bustards wintered
in Azerbajan of which, official records show,
40,000 to 50,000 were shot each year. Flocks
of Li le Bustards were reported as huge in
the former USSR, some numbered 20,000
birds. Most species, where numbers are
known, are in decline but as a paradox the
more recent estimated populations are
sometimes larger, due to more accurate
counts and more observations.
Perhaps the Great Indian Bustard is most at risk of extinction. Its numbers have fallen from 12,000 in the 1960s to 1,500 to 2,000 in the 1980s and now comes an estimate, released by Birdlife, of just 250 individuals.
Oh yes, there is also a Homo sapiens family of
Bustards. According to J H Gurney (1921),
this family name originated in Yorkshire
sometime before 1391. Gurney thought it
not improbable that the name came from the
bird. We now have several Bustards as
members of our Great Bustard Group! Some
live in the United States –a part of
the world where their
avian namesakes
never reached.
Visiting the GBGBeautiful Bustards
28
© Dave Kjaer
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