Great Bustard numbers grow in the UK

The Great Bustard as a nesting bird became extinct in Britain way back in 1832. 2009 saw a break-through with two pairs fledging two chicks near Salisbury on Salisbury Plain, in Wiltshire; 177 years after their disappearance.

A year on and more good news can be reported; four chicks have hatched this year. There are now 4 confirmed nests.

The Great Bustard Group has led the reintroduction of this large and spectacular species of bird. An adult male typically is 90–110 cm (3.0–3.6 ft) long with a 2.1–2.5 m (6.9–8.2 ft) wingspan and usually weighs from 10 to 16 kg (22 to 35 lb. The Great Bustard Group began in 2004 using eggs rescued from cultivation in Saratov in Southern Russia. The chicks are reared in Russia and when approximately six weeks old are flown to the UK. After the usual procedure of quarantine the chicks are released carefully on to Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire (southern England). The birds are released under a special licence issued to the Great Bustard Consortium (the Great Bustard Group, the RSPB and the University of Bath) by DEFRA.

The nest sites are kept highly secret due to fears of pressure from bird watchers. The eggs are marked with a special permanent DNA glue to deter and help prosecute egg collectors. Being such a rare sight, poaching is a real threat. There are currently 18 birds in the entire UK.

For two successive years the birds have bred and produced young. They are a slow bird to mature taking around five years to sexually mature however if the present males continue to mate and produce live chicks, in two to three years time their numbers should firmly begin to expand.

The Great Bustard was formerly native in Great Britain but are currently considered an alien species under English law. World-wide, their numbers are estimated between 31,000 to 37,000 birds.

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