What is it about?

It has been suggested that over-grazing is detrimental to Houbara habitat and the conservation of this species can be improved by controlling pastoralism. We tested this in the Kyzlkum, part of the southern Central Asian Desert, in Uzbekistan, monitoring 177 nests of Asian Houbara over three years. We found no reduction in clutch size, nest success, or per egg hatchability in areas with greater density of sheep. Nest success was similar across three shrub assemblages and was unrelated to landscape rugosity, shrub frequency or livestock density but was greater in areas with taller mean shrub height (range 13–67 cm) within 50 m. Predation was the main cause of nest failure.

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Why is it important?

There is no evidence that livestock pastoralism is impacting on the productivity of Asian Houbara in this landscape.

Perspectives

This work was a collaboration by a team of field ornithologists, led by the University of East Anglia, in partnership with the Emirates Bird Breeding Centre for Conservation and BirdLife International. You can see more about the Sustainable Houbara Management programme at: https://www.sustainablehoubaramanagement.org or follow us on Facebook or Twitter: @SustainHoubara

Professor Paul M Dolman
University of East Anglia

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This page is a summary of: Effects of habitat and livestock on nest productivity of the Asian houbara Chlamydotis macqueenii in Bukhara Province, Uzbekistan, European Journal of Wildlife Research, May 2016, Springer Science + Business Media,
DOI: 10.1007/s10344-016-1018-9.
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