Migration of the Houbara Bustard Chlamgdotis undulata from Abu Dhabi to Turkmenistan; the first results from satellite tracking studies

For migratory species, the success of population reintroduction or reinforcement through captive-bred released individuals depends on survivors undertaking appropriate migrations. We assess whether captive-bred Asian Houbara Chlamydotis macqueenii from a breeding programme established with locally sourced individuals and released into suitable habitat during spring or summer undertake similar migrations to those of wild birds. Using satellite telemetry, we compare the migrations of 29 captive-bred juveniles, 10 wild juveniles and 39 wild adults (including three birds first tracked as juveniles), examining migratory propensity (proportion migrating), timing, direction, stopover duration and frequency, efficiency (route deviation), and wintering and breeding season locations. Captive-bred birds initiated autumn migration an average of 20.6 (AE4.6 se) days later and wintered 470.8 km (AE76.4) closer to the breeding grounds, mainly in Turkmenistan, northern Iran and Afghanistan, than wild birds, which migrated 1217.8 km (AE76.4), predominantly wintering in southern Iran and Pakistan (juveniles and adults were similar). Wintering locations of four surviving captive-bred birds were similar in subsequent years (median distance to first wintering site = 70.8 km, range 6.56-221.6 km), suggesting that individual captive-bred birds (but not necessarily their progeny) remain faithful to their first wintering latitude. The migratory performance of captive-bred birds was otherwise similar to that of wild juveniles. Although the long-term fitness consequences for captivebred birds establishing wintering sites at the northern edge of those occupied by wild birds remain to be quantified, it is clear that the pattern of wild migrations established by long-term selection is not replicated. If the shorter migration distance of young captivebred birds has a physiological rather than a genetic basis, then their progeny may still exhibit wild-type migration. However, as there is a considerable genetic component to migration, captive breeding management must respect migratory population structure as well as natal and release-site fidelity.

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“…This strategy seems to have been eliminated by over‐hunting on the Arabian Peninsula (Osborne et al . , Launay et al . , Combreau et al .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Notably none of the 43 wild birds tracked in this study showed any evidence of migration across the Straits of Hormuz. This strategy seems to have been eliminated by over-hunting on the Arabian Peninsula (Osborne et al 1997.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparative migration strategies of wild and captive‐bred Asian Houbara Chlamydotis macqueenii

Burnside

Collar

Dolman

2017

Ibis

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“…Osborne et al . (1997) hypothesized that male Houbara could attempt to breed ‘en route’ by establishing temporary display territories at stopovers to attract local breeding females.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Nylon lines with snares were fixed on the ground around a stuffed female Houbara used as decoy. The four males were fitted with 35‐g solar‐powered satellite transmitters (Microwave Telemetry Inc., Columbia, MD, USA) harnessed on a Teflon ribbon backpack (for details see Osborne et al . 1997).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Migration and range use of Asian Houbara Bustard Chlamydotis macqueenii breeding in the Gobi Desert, China, revealed by satellite tracking

Judas

Combreau

Lawrence

et al. 2006

Ibis

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Four adult male Asian Houbara Bustards Chlamydotis macqueenii were caught on their breeding grounds in the Gobi Desert of China and tracked by satellite from July 2000 for from 5 months to > 3.5 years. Wintering areas were identified for two individuals, one on the Turkmenistan/Uzbekistan border in the Amur‐Darya valley, the second at the Iran/Turkmenistan border. One individual used the same wintering and breeding areas for three consecutive years. Overall departure dates from breeding grounds ranged from 29 September to 14 October, with arrival on wintering quarters from 23 October to 7 November. Birds left their wintering grounds between 2 and 21 March and reached their breeding areas between 11 and 21 April. The mean overall migration distance was 3935 km (sd = ± 229, n = 9). Houbara Bustards mainly followed steppe areas to migrate avoiding the highest elevations of the Himalayan massif and travelling 267 km/day on average. Pre‐breeding migration lasted longer than post‐breeding and included more and longer stopovers. The Taukum Desert and Jungar Basin are critical areas for migration of eastern Houbara populations. Breeding range, used for 5.5 months, was 274 km2 (sd = ± 53, n = 4), whereas wintering range, used for around 4 months a year, was 76 km2 (sd = ± 22, n = 3). Range use pattern appeared similar for Asian Houbara released in central Saudi Arabia, but differed from the African Houbara Bustard. More investigations are required to determine the effects of food availability and meteorological conditions on the migration pattern and on the use of stopovers by Asian Houbara Bustards.

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References

2007

The Migration Ecology of Birds

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Migration of the Houbara Bustard Chlamgdotis undulata from Abu Dhabi to Turkmenistan; the first results from satellite tracking studies

Cited by 15 publications

References 10 publications

Comparative migration strategies of wild and captive‐bred Asian Houbara Chlamydotis macqueenii

Comparative migration strategies of wild and captive‐bred Asian Houbara Chlamydotis macqueenii

Migration and range use of Asian Houbara Bustard Chlamydotis macqueenii breeding in the Gobi Desert, China, revealed by satellite tracking

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