Great bustard sightings – Have you seen one?

In the past three summers, female great bustards have successfully hatched chicks, one of which survived to adulthood. Credit Great Bustard Group

December 2011. Great bustards released as part of an ambitious project that is bringing the birds back to the UK are causing a stir by conducting their own tours of southern England.

Brought from Saratov in Russia, this year's great bustards were released in September, and there are currently 17 in the wild.

Andrew Taylor, Great Bustard LIFE Project Adviser for RSPB said; "This year's released birds have been out for eight weeks now, and most are starting to roam more widely around their original release sites.

"Some however have been rather more adventurous than others! Black Six, named after the numbered black wing tag she carries, was last seen by project staff on the day of her release. She spent a couple of weeks on a neighbouring farm, but then went off the radar.

"At dawn of 5th November, a great bustard was seen flying south from Portland Bill in Dorset, and then the following lunchtime we received a report of Black Six in a field at South Huish, near Kingsbridge in Devon. She flew north an hour later.

Then on 21 November 2011 we received a report of another bustard, this time without wingtags, but with a radio transmitter, on land owned by The National Trust near Langton Matravers in south Purbeck. They certainly are getting around"

Conservationists are looking forward to seeing where the bustards will fly to next, but are appealing to the public for help.

Birds without transmitters
Trace Williams Great Bustard LIFE Manager for RSPB said: "Of the 17 birds in the wild we are able to track nine directly as they have radio and satellite transmitters. The remaining birds however have no transmitters so we need people who see them, and notice the very visible numbered wing tags, to let us know by calling 01980 671466."

The great bustard is a globally threatened species that is listed on Annex I of the EC Birds Directive. As a species of concern in Europe, the re- introduction of the birds to the UK is generously supported by the EU LIFE fund and co-ordinated by a partnership of The Great Bustard Group, Natural England, University of Bath and the RSPB.

Extinct in UK in 1832
It was formerly widely distributed across large parts of lowland Europe, but started to decline in the 18th century and is now absent from much of its original range. It became extinct from the UK in 1832, and from numerous other European nations over the rest of the 19th and the 20th centuries. It is responding well to conservation and many populations are now increasing.

100 birds reintroduced
In the past seven years the group has brought more than 100 birds from Russia and released them on Salisbury Plain in an effort to create a viable UK population. The group does not know how many of the 100 still survive, but they are confident of the location of 15 of them.

Visitors are welcome to the great bustard release site to learn about the project and see the spectacular scenery and wildlife of Salisbury Plain. To book a visit phone 07817 971327 or email visit@greatbustard.org

More about visiting Great Bustard Project