Houbara to the area from nearby populations in unprotected areas in 
southern Syria and Jordan. The status of these populations is 
unknown, ^fhe border region between Syria and Iraq is a military zone 
and apparently one of the better areas for steppe wildlife in this 
region. There have been no recent, confirmed sightings of Houbara in 
the reserve, however the presence of falconers in an area south of the 
reserve suggests that Houbara, their main quarry, may still occur. 
While it is probable that the Houbara Bustard still occurs in Syria, its 
numbers are presumed to be very small. The combined effects of habi- 
tat destruction and hunting have reduced numbers dramatically dur- 
ing the past 40 years. That some Syrians now recognise the extent of 
the decline and are taking steps to remedy the situation provides some 
hope for the future. 
Acknowledgements 
My thanks go to Scott Christiansen for his hospitality during my stay in Syria, 
Ben Wedeman for ably acting as my interpreter, Guy Manners for his enthusi- 
asm and knowledge of the local avifauna, Abdul Khalek Abdulaa Assa'ad for 
his assistance and Gus Gintzberger for his insights and contacts. 
References 
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Collar, N.J., Crosby, M.J. & Stattersfield, A.J. (1994) Birds to watch 2. The 
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Baumgart, W., Kasparek, M. & Stephan, B. (1995) Die Vdgel Syriens: eine 
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Cramp, S. & Simmons, K.E.L. (eds) (1983) Handbook of the birds of the Western 
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2650 Australia. 
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