SummaryThe Houbara Bustard Chlamydotis undulata macqueenii is a regular winter visitor from northern breeding grounds to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) but the migration routes and origin of these birds are still poorly known. Five bustards were fitted with platform transponder terminals in UAE in the winter of 1996-1997. The overall distances covered by the birds were very variable, ranging from 3,747 km to 11,938 km. The return migration date of Houbara from UAE ranged from 19 March to 2 April 1997, while the outward migration began from 10 September to 7 November 1997. The Houbara spent the summer n i different areas, namely China (north of lake Nor), Kazakhstan (Kyzyl Kum desert and north of the Aral Sea), Uzbekistan (south of the Aral Sea) and north Afghanistan. These results are the first to describe an annual cycle of migration for Houbara Bustards and should aid the development of appropriate conservation measures for this species.
Seven free-living houbara bustards (Chlamydotis undulata macqueeni) wild-caught in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) were examined for helminth parasites. Of five birds investigated post mortem, one was free of gastrointestinal helminths. Two other birds expelled worms following clinical examination and anthelmintic treatment. This is the first report of the parasites of free-living, as opposed to captive, houbara bustards in the UAE. In infested wild birds, fewer species of helminths were recovered than had been found in captive birds and those species present had also been found in captive houbaras. Despite heavy worm burdens, the infested birds were in good condition. Two species of cestodes (Otiditaenia conoideis, Hispaniolepis falsata), two of acanthocephalans (Centrorhynchus lancea, Mediorhynchus taeniatus) and two of nematodes (Hartertia rotundata, Allodapa sp.) were recovered. Histopathological examination of tissue samples from the intestine of three birds revealed no significant pathological changes attributable to the presence of parasites but only localized responses at the sites of parasite attachment.
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