Facts Kingdom Animalia Phylum Chordata Class Aves Order Gruiformes Family Otididae Genus Otis (1) Size Length: 75 – 105 cm (2) Status The great bustard is classified as Vulnerable (VU A3c) on the IUCN Red List 2004. It is listed on Appendix II of CITES and Appendices I and II of the Convention on Migratory Species. Description A tall bird, the great bustard has a grey head and neck, and a brown back barred with black. The underparts are white with a reddish-brown breast band that gets redder with age in males. The great bustard has an upright stance when walking, and flies with regular and powerful wing beats. Range Found scattered across Europe and Asia, the great bustard breeds in Morocco, Portugal, Spain, Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova, Turkey, Iran, Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Mongolia and China. Habitat Inhabits steppe, grassland and open, non-intensive agricultural land. Areas with little or no human disturbance are required for breeding. Biology Male great bustards become sexually mature at five to six years of age, and females at three to four years of age. Males compete in what is known as a lekking system, gathering together as small display grounds (known as a 'lek') from where they attempt to impress passing females. The leks are located near the nests of the females, which are shallow pits on dry, soft slopes. After the female has chosen a male and mated with him, she lays two to four eggs and incubates them for 21 – 28 days. The male does not contribute to caring for the chicks. The hatchlings can stand after two days and will forage alone after 10 days. After 30 – 35 days, the fledglings will be able to fly. The great bustard is a migratory bird, and gathers in large numbers at a pre-migratory site in order to move collectively to winter grounds. Both winter and summer ground differ between populations. Threats Increasing human disturbance and land privatisation is expected to lead to habitat loss caused by the ploughing of grasslands, intensive grazing, afforestation, increased development of irrigation schemes, and the construction of roads, power lines, fencing and ditches. Mechanisation, chemical fertilisers and pesticides, fire and predation are serious threats for chicks and juveniles, and hunting of adults contributes to high mortality in Ukraine and China. Conservation The great bustard is legally protected in most countries in its range, and both a European Action Plan and an East Asian Action Plan have been formulated. These propose research into the factors causing population decline, protection of current breeding sites and winter grounds, as well as improvements to habitat in East Asia. Introducing low-intensity farming, preventing steppe fires, illegal hunting and collisions with power lines are also high priority actions. Further Information For further information on this species see the Red Data Book: http://www.rdb.or.id/detailbird.php?id=38 Glossary Lek: System of mating in which males display collectively in an area known as a lek. Males compete for the best sites within the lek and females then choose whom to mate with on the basis of the display.