Changes In The Modern Range Of The Great Bustard Otis Tarda In Uzbekistan Under The Influence Of Agricultural Transformation Of Landscapes And Climate

Abstract

Previously, there was no special study of the Great Bustard (Otis tarda) in Uzbekistan. The first Bustard survey was conducted within the Winter Bustards Census Programme of the Eurasian Bustard Alliance in 2019. The discovery of a Great Bustards aggregation of 96 individuals in Jizzakh region showed that the wintering grounds are more stable than was expected before and that there is no information about the wintering grounds of this species in the country. The aim of this work was to find other wintering grounds, estimate the number of wintering Great Bustards and assess threats. The identification of potential wintering grounds was carried out using satellite images in Q-GIS 3.0 based on published records of the Great Bustard in the winter season. The field survey of the Great Bustard was carried out using two methods. The first one was based on car transects, which is suitable for natural habitats. The second method that we used on open rain-fed fields, was point count from higher locations. Both methods give the actual number of birds, and could not be used for extrapolation as this species’ distribution is fragmented. In 2020-2021 we covered a considerable part of the foothill plains of the central part of Uzbekistan. As a result, two wintering grounds were identified in which about 500 Great Bustards were concentrated. The surveys also made it possible to identify the main threats, which are poaching and collision with power lines. The results highlighted wintering grounds which required conservation.