Habitat use and mating system of the houbara bustard (Chlamydotis undulata undulata) in a semi-desertic area of North Africa: implications for conservation

Abstract

Studies of the movements and home-ranges of houbara bustards (Chlamydotis undulata undulata) showed sexual and seasonal differences in the use of space, with a polygynous mating system similar to an 'exploded-lek' or a 'resource-defence-polygyny', that remains undefined. We used the arthropod biomass as an index of the trophic quality of six defined habitats and we radio-tracked 7 females and 13 males to test whether sexual and seasonal variations in habitat use were related to resource availability, and to verify if critical resources for breeding females were monopolised by males. We analysed habitat selection in both sexes separately. We used the habitat type composition of buffer zones around radio-locations to study annual and seasonal habitat selection and to identify preferred habitats, using the chi-square goodness-of-fit test. Habitat use between sexes and between seasons were compared using MANOVA based on log-ratios of habitat proportions. During the year, and in each season, both sexes appeared to be significantly selective for habitats in comparison to their availability. But males avoided esparto grass, while females used all habitats. Habitat use differed between sexes in the breeding season, but not in the non-breeding season. In spring, when food resources were abundant and uniformly distributed in space, males preferred 'temporarily flooded areas' and females preferred 'reg with tall perennials' that offered both food and cover for brooding. Critical resources were not monopolised by males and the mating system fulfilled the definition of the 'exploded-lek'. Leks are key sites for reproduction and should be considered as priority areas in further conservation plans.

Effects of habitat and land use on breeding season density of male Asian Houbara Chlamydotis macqueenii

“…Studies that assessed houbara habitat use without sex differentiation, through sampling tracks or telemetry locations (Combreau and Smith 1997; Table 1 for definition of predictors. Unfilled bars and the vertical dashed line show the median and 95 % limit of RVI of a random null variable (across 1000 MMI iterations), respectively; an asterisk denotes strongly supported predictors J Ornithol (2016) 157:811-823 819 et al 1997b), are not comparable to ours as habitat use is expected to differ between males and females (Hingrat et al 2007). Male houbara densities differed among the five shrub assemblages.…”

“…However, the possibility remains that lower densities in some shrub assemblages reflect a lower suitability of these habitats for females, and, thus, a reduced attractiveness for males to congregate in such landscapes. Further work is required to determine what conditions the far more elusive females need for breeding, as their habitat and landscape preferences may differ somewhat from those of males (Hingrat et al 2007), as in Bengal Florican (Gray et al 2009). The southern Kyzylkum Desert is increasingly being targeted for energy (gas and oil) exploration (personal observation), and conservation biologists need a robust evidence base to ensure the best management for Uzbekistan's houbaras as their habitat experiences disruptions associated with economic development and infrastructural encroachment.…”

Sex-specific dispersal responses to inbreeding and kinship

“…In such a lower level of aggregation, females can potentially forage and even nest within a lek (Morales, Jiguet, & Arroyo, 2001). Houbaras usually inhabit semiarid desert areas occupied by subshrub vegetation (Hingrat, Saint Jalme, Ysnel, Le Nuz, & Lacroix, 2007). This study was conducted from 2001 to 2009 in eastern Morocco (2 13 0 W, 33 55 0 N), where the Emirates Centre for Wildlife Propagation (ECWP) released 20 652 houbaras onto different release sites.…”

Male territories and the lek-like mating system of MacQueen’s Bustard Chlamydotis macqueenii

“…If this were true, the mating system would be more akin to resource-defense polygyny than to lekking (Emlen and Oring 1977). One approach in considering this issue has been to compare resource quality in breeding male and female home-ranges (Jiguet et al 2002;Hingrat et al 2007). A different and more powerful approach would be to directly assess the overlap of breeding female home ranges or nest locations with the precise delimitations of the territories of their mates.…”

“…It is migratory in the northern part of its range (Combreau et al 2001(Combreau et al , 2011Judas et al 2006) and loosely gregarious outside the breeding season (Cramp and Simmons 1980). Its reproductive strategy has not been investigated in as much detail as that of its sister species the North African Houbara Bustard (Hingrat and Saint Jalme 2005;Hingrat et al 2007). …”