Alarming houbara bustard population trends in Asia

Tourenq, C; Combreau, Olivier; Lawrence, Mark; Pole, Serguei B; Spalton, Andrew; Xinji, Gao; Baidani, Mohammed Al; Launay, Frédéric

doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2004.03.031

Cited by 33 publications

(41 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…However, comparison with densities estimated for other Asian Houbara populations is problematic. Most recent studies used driven transects (Tourenq et al 2004(Tourenq et al , 2005Gubin 2008;Riou et al 2011) and each had methodological drawbacks. In Koshkin et al (2014) point counts were found to perform better than transects, at least in the conditions of the southern Kyzylkum.…”

Section: Houbara Population Estimatementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Gubin (2008) based multi-annual estimates for several areas in south-western Kazakhstan on numbers of individuals recorded along driven transects within a 200-m survey strip (range of 0.01-0.24 birds/ km 2 ); this may indicate relative abundance among areas, but as detectability was unknown it is not possible to account for undetected birds to estimate density. Although Riou et al (2011) and Tourenq et al (2004Tourenq et al ( , 2005 used distance analysis, distance measurements were not taken and the effective strip width (ESW) is not reported; also, analysis pooled across regions with differing relative abundance resulting in wide uncertainty, and timing and sex composition are not reported. Although more females are detected during driven transects (30 % of adult birds) than on point counts (7 %; Koshkin et al 2014), densities estimated by Riou et al (2011) and Tourenq et al (2004Tourenq et al ( , 2005 will have been underestimated to an unknown extent.…”

Section: Houbara Population Estimatementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although Riou et al (2011) and Tourenq et al (2004Tourenq et al ( , 2005 used distance analysis, distance measurements were not taken and the effective strip width (ESW) is not reported; also, analysis pooled across regions with differing relative abundance resulting in wide uncertainty, and timing and sex composition are not reported. Although more females are detected during driven transects (30 % of adult birds) than on point counts (7 %; Koshkin et al 2014), densities estimated by Riou et al (2011) and Tourenq et al (2004Tourenq et al ( , 2005 will have been underestimated to an unknown extent. Depending on timing, estimates may lie somewhere between an estimate of male numbers (comparable to our male estimate) for survey during incubation (when females are infrequently observed even on driven transects) to an estimate comprising both males and females during brood rearing/post-nesting, closer to, but still likely underestimating, total numbers.…”

Section: Houbara Population Estimatementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Poorly regulated and unsustainable hunting and trapping on both migration routes and wintering grounds (Combreau et al 2001) have been blamed for declines in Kazakhstan (Tourenq et al 2004(Tourenq et al , 2005Riou et al 2011), which hosts an estimated 77 % of the global population (Goriup 1997), resulting in Asian Houbara being listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as Vulnerable (BirdLife International 2015). Habitat degradation from agricultural intensification and overgrazing, combined with human disturbance, is thought also to be affecting the species in parts of its range (Goriup 1997;Combreau et al 2001Combreau et al , 2002, albeit with little published evidence.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This estimate, however, extrapolated country-wide numbers from local estimates (Gubin 1992;Mitropolsky et al 1996). Subsequent studies that provided density estimates for several subpopulations in Kazakhstan (Tourenq et al 2004(Tourenq et al , 2005Riou et al 2011) experienced methodological limitations (see ''Discussion''), while for Uzbekistan the two assessments available were considered preliminary and provisional (Launay et al 1997a;Koshkin et al 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effects of habitat and land use on breeding season density of male Asian Houbara Chlamydotis macqueenii

et al. 2016

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Landscape-scale habitat and land use influences on Asian Houbara Chlamydotis macqueenii (IUCN Vulnerable) remain unstudied, while estimating numbers of this cryptic, low-density, over-hunted species is challenging. In spring 2013, male houbara were recorded at 231 point counts, conducted twice, across a gradient of sheep density and shrub assemblages within 14,300 km 2 of the Kyzylkum Desert, Uzbekistan. Four sets of models related male abundance to: (1) vegetation structure (shrub height and substrate); (2) shrub assemblage; (3) shrub species composition (multidimensional scaling); (4) remote-sensed derived land cover (GLOBCOVER, 4 variables). Each set also incorporated measures of landscape rugosity and sheep density. For each set, multi-model inference was applied to generalised linear mixed models of visit-specific counts that included important detectability covariates and point ID as random effects. Vegetation structure received strongest support, followed by shrub species composition and shrub assemblage, with weakest support for the GLOBCOVER model set. Male houbara numbers were greater with lower mean shrub height, more gravel and flatter surfaces, but were unaffected by sheep density. Male density (mean 0.14 km -2 ) estimated by distance analysis differed substantially among shrub assemblages, being highest in vegetation dominated by Salsola rigida, high in areas of S. arbuscula and Astragalus, respectively, lower in Artemisia and lowest in Calligonum. The study area was estimated to hold 1824 males (CI 1645(CI -2030. The spatial distribution of relative male houbara abundance, predicted from vegetation structure models, had the strongest correspondence with observed numbers in both model calibration and the subsequent year's data. We found no effect of pastoralism on male distribution, but potential effects on nesting females are unknown. Density differences among shrub communities suggest extrapolation to estimate country-or range-wide population size must take into account vegetation composition.

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Section: Houbara Population Estimatementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Houbara Population Estimatementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Houbara Population Estimatementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Effects of habitat and land use on breeding season density of male Asian Houbara Chlamydotis macqueenii

et al. 2016

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Training Animals in Captivity or the Wild, so They Can Return to the Wild

Webb¹

2019

Zoo Animal Learning and Training

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Habitat use and mating system of the houbara bustard (Chlamydotis undulata undulata) in a semi-desertic area of North Africa: implications for conservation

et al. 2007

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Studies of the movements and home-ranges of houbara bustards (Chlamydotis undulata undulata) showed sexual and seasonal differences in the use of space, with a polygynous mating system similar to an 'exploded-lek' or a 'resource-defence-polygyny', that remains undefined. We used the arthropod biomass as an index of the trophic quality of six defined habitats and we radio-tracked 7 females and 13 males to test whether sexual and seasonal variations in habitat use were related to resource availability, and to verify if critical resources for breeding females were monopolised by males. We analysed habitat selection in both sexes separately. We used the habitat type composition of buffer zones around radio-locations to study annual and seasonal habitat selection and to identify preferred habitats, using the chi-square goodness-of-fit test. Habitat use between sexes and between seasons were compared using MANOVA based on log-ratios of habitat proportions. During the year, and in each season, both sexes appeared to be significantly selective for habitats in comparison to their availability. But males avoided esparto grass, while females used all habitats. Habitat use differed between sexes in the breeding season, but not in the non-breeding season. In spring, when food resources were abundant and uniformly distributed in space, males preferred 'temporarily flooded areas' and females preferred 'reg with tall perennials' that offered both food and cover for brooding. Critical resources were not monopolised by males and the mating system fulfilled the definition of the 'exploded-lek'. Leks are key sites for reproduction and should be considered as priority areas in further conservation plans.

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Alarming houbara bustard population trends in Asia

Cited by 33 publications

References 13 publications

Effects of habitat and land use on breeding season density of male Asian Houbara Chlamydotis macqueenii

Effects of habitat and land use on breeding season density of male Asian Houbara Chlamydotis macqueenii

Training Animals in Captivity or the Wild, so They Can Return to the Wild

Habitat use and mating system of the houbara bustard (Chlamydotis undulata undulata) in a semi-desertic area of North Africa: implications for conservation

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