Houbara Bustard

The houbara bustard is a desert bird and one of the most prominent in the Arabian Peninsula, with an environmental and cultural value linked to the desert environment and the history of falconry in the region, and it plays a role in preserving ecological balance in arid and semi-arid environments.[1]

It is found in open areas with sparse vegetation and adapts well to harsh climatic conditions such as high temperatures and scarce water, feeding on insects and small plants, which makes it an important part of the ecological balance in these regions.[1]

The houbara bustard is among the largest birds and the heaviest bird capable of flight, with a distinctive crest, plumage and neck; the male is known as the "kharb" and the female as the "dajaja".[2]

Its length ranges between 55 and 75 cm, the male's weight between 1,800 and 3,200 g, and the female's weight between 1,200 and 1,700 g.[3] The species is divided into two main groups: the Asian houbara, which migrates from Central Asia to the Arabian Peninsula, and the North African houbara, which is native to the Maghreb.[1]

The houbara bustard nests on open ground, in a shallow, unlined depression usually located near a low shrub, and its daily range in search of food reaches about 60 km.[3]

The female lays 2 to 3 eggs, and the incubation period reaches 24 days, after which the chicks become capable of flight after about 35 days.[3] The bird feeds on grains, plants, insects and worms, resources provided by the natural cover of arid and semi-arid environments.[3]

The houbara bustard is linked to the desert environment and the history of falconry in the Arabian Peninsula, and it is the most prominent quarry of hunting with falcons.[1][4] UNESCO inscribed falconry in the Arabian Peninsula, whose most prominent quarry is the houbara bustard, on its list of intangible cultural heritage in 2021.[4]

The Saudi Falcons Club announced that houbara hunting would be permitted from 1 November 2021 to 31 January 2022, restricted to hunting with falcons and without any type of firearm.[5]

Prince Saud bin Faisal established the first research centre specialising in houbara breeding in Taif in 1985, which played a pioneering role in developing effective captive-breeding methods.[4] The Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Reserve Development Authority launched construction of the Houbara Breeding Centre, which includes 22 facilities over 4 square kilometres and will reach a capacity of 25,000 birds at its final stage.[6]

The National Centre for Wildlife granted the first official permit to produce houbara bustards in the Kingdom to a specialised centre, valid for one renewable year, in a project covering more than 500,000 square metres and targeting the production of 15,000 birds by 2026.[7] The Prince of Al-Qassim region received the Kingdom's first licence to produce the bird, a project that aims at steadily rising annual production from more than 2,000 birds to 15,000 and at achieving self-sufficiency.[8]

The King Salman bin Abdulaziz Royal Reserve Development Authority reintroduced 124 rare houbara bustards across the reserve, which is the largest terrestrial reserve in the Middle East, with an area of 130,700 square kilometres.[3] The Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve reintroduced the Asian houbara after an absence of more than 35 years, releasing 20 birds, 10 of them fitted with satellite tracking devices, in cooperation between the reserve, the National Centre for Wildlife and the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Foundation for Houbara Conservation.[4]

The King Abdulaziz Royal Reserve Development Authority signed a memorandum of understanding with the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Foundation for Houbara Conservation to support the protection of the bird and its reintroduction into its natural habitats, covering the development of reintroduction programmes, the monitoring of bird movements and the reduction of the risks of power lines and overhunting.[9] The International Union for Conservation of Nature classifies the Asian houbara as endangered throughout the Arabian Peninsula, and the Kingdom has no resident wild populations, which makes breeding and reintroduction programmes a foundation for rebuilding sustainable wild groups.[4]

Q: What is the houbara bustard? A: It is a desert bird and one of the most prominent in the Arabian Peninsula, with an environmental and cultural value linked to the desert environment and the history of falconry, and it plays a role in preserving ecological balance in arid and semi-arid environments.[1]

Q: Where does the houbara bustard live and what does it feed on? A: It lives in open areas with sparse vegetation and feeds on grains, plants, insects, worms and small plants.[1][3]

Q: How long and how heavy is the houbara bustard? A: Its length ranges between 55 and 75 cm, the male's weight between 1,800 and 3,200 g, and the female's weight between 1,200 and 1,700 g.[3]

Q: How many eggs does the houbara bustard lay and how long is the incubation period? A: The female lays 2 to 3 eggs, the incubation period reaches 24 days, and the chicks become capable of flight after about 35 days.[3]

Q: What are the Kingdom's efforts to protect and breed the houbara bustard? A: They include establishing specialised centres for its breeding and release, the first of which was a research centre in Taif in 1985, along with its reintroduction in the royal reserves, including the release of 124 birds in the King Salman bin Abdulaziz Royal Reserve and 20 Asian birds in the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve.[3][4]

In the Kingdom's reserves, the houbara bustard combines its environmental value in preserving ecological balance, its cultural standing tied to the history of falconry, and its role in programmes for breeding and reintroducing native species.[1][4]

Its subjects on the platform are linked to King Salman bin Abdulaziz Royal Reserve, Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve, Falconry, Wildlife in Saudi Arabia and Al-Qassim Region.