La avutarda hubara - SEO/BirdLife

The Houbara Bustard in Spain
Such a population increase is seen especially in Lanzarote, whilst the populations
of La Graciosa and Fuerteventura are fairly stable. In all cases, the density
records for the four recent counts have always been higher than the December
1994 estimates, and can be considered as the highest density values throughout
the whole range for the species. Among the three main islands, the highest average
density is obtained for the populations in Lanzarote (5,08 individuals/km 2 ),
as opposed to those of Fuerteventura (1,49) and La Graciosa (1,09).
The population increase mentioned is different for each of the islands where the
species is present. The results show the highest abundance of Houbara Bustards
in Lanzarote; a population increase during the LIFE Nature project period
(2003-2007) has also occurred in this island, in particular from July 2005
onwards, whilst this has not been observed in the remaining islands and islets.
As compared to the 1994 census, Houbara Bustard densities were in all cases
lower in those years than in the four recent counts in Lanzarote, whilst recent
values for La Graciosa and Fuerteventura are similar to past ones.
By habitat type, the ‘jable’(large white sand areas) is the one hosting the highest
number of individuals amongst the three types preferred by the species (i.e.
white sands, bare and stony plains and, at unfavourable periods, marginal areas
such as cropland borders). However, usage patterns are different for the various
islands and islets. As regards the trends for the Houbara Bustard habitat, it
should be noted that the rate between primary and secondary habitats has not
been constant throughout the decade between the mid-1990 and the dates of
the present census results. In fact, the primary habitats for the species have
undergone an intense transformation, with the surface of secondary habitats
having increased since 1994 largely as a result of land use changes and the
impact of other human activities.
According to the census results, the population estimates are 11-17 individuals
in La Graciosa, 383-806 in Lanzarote and 384-459 in Fuerteventura. After considering
each of the four counts undertaken separately, the population of Houbara
Bustard in the Canaries is 853-1.207 individuals; however, when the extreme
values of each island are taken into account independently, the global population
estimate shifts to 778-1.282 individuals for the reference period. Besides, the
average population of Houbara Bustard after considering the four censuses altogether
is 1.074,50 (±153,39).
70