Surfbirds News: July 2007 Archives
Great bustards breed in UK for first time in 175 years
The RSPB has welcomed news of the first breeding great bustards in Great Britain for 175 years.
The Great Bustard Group (GBG) has been releasing birds on Salisbury Plain each year since around 2004, but did not expect nesting to take place until 2008, as males have to reach four or five years old before they can breed. Chicks are raised in Russia from eggs rescued from nests destroyed by cultivation, but then released in the Wiltshire countryside.
Great Bustard, copyright János Oláh Jr
RSPB chalk grassland manager Tracé Williams said: 'This is really exciting news. The Great Bustard Group are to be congratulated on their achievements so far and we hope that this will be the first of many bustards breeding here in the future.'
GBG made the announcement today (Monday 23 July) some time after the birds' nest was discovered, in order to minimise the risk of eggs being stolen or disturbance. Sadly, the great bustards' breeding attempt was not successful. The eggs were incubated by a female bird, but subsequently abandoned. After examination, the eggs were found to be infertile.
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