BUSTARDS 
AN ACCOUNT OF PAUL GORIUP'S LECTURE TO THE SOCIETY 
On 5 November Paul Goriup, Assistant Director of the International Council for 
Bird Preservation (ICBP) lectured to the LA>mS on Bustards, their behaviour, 
ecolo'jy and conservation. 
Goriup arrived in Kenya in mid-October with two colleagues. Sue Everett of 
the Nature Conservancy Council and Pat Osborne of Swansea University. Their 
brief was to gather material on Che status, habitat preference, general, and 
display behaviour of bustards in Meru National Park. Although the Afro- 
tropical region supports two-thirds of the species that occur worldwide, they 
remain poorly known, a fact that had come to li^ht during research for The 
Birds of Africa, Only the Kori Bustard Otis kori could be described as well 
studied and even its spectacular balloon display has not been thoroughly 
investigated. 
Meru appeared to have advantages for a short term study. It is compar- 
atively small and offers a wide range of habitat. The park also supports 6 
of the 7 species of bustard found in the region. Five certainly occur: 
hartlaub^s Eupodotis hartlaubi. Black-bellied E. molanooaster (Gomez de Silva 
pers, com.). White-bellied E. sencoaJensis ^ Buff-crested E, ruficrista and 
Kori. The scarce Denham's Neotis denhami does not. The status of the 
Heuglin^s ATeotis heaglini in Meru is uncertain, it probably occurs, 
at least as a wanderer. Heuplin's is a very attractive bird, well worth 
trying to find. The best known site lies just north of Marsabit on the fringe 
of the Didi Galgalla desert. Goriup's expedition were especially interested 
in activity patterns, male display and how the similar Eupodotis species were 
dividing their shared habitat. 
As it turned out the expedition were very unlucky with the weather, since 
they arrived at the end of the appalling drought that has thankfully now 
released its grip on most of the country. The sudden rain unleashed a burst 
of bustard activity. The drought and consequent intensive grazing by game had 
driven most bustards out of the area. However, Buff-crested remained and the 
males began a frenzy of calling and rocket flights. Goriup played tapes of 
their persistent whistle which rises to a scream and often pre-empts the 
advertisement flight. Buff-crested males may duet in groups, call in isolat- 
ion or in response to neighbours some distance off. In display they fly some 
20 m or so into the air, then, at the apex of their climb suddenly drop as if 
shot only to open their wings, break and land safely at the last moment. 
Bustards are basically medium to large terrestrial birds that prefer 
walking to flying, although they remain capable of sustained, strong flight 
should the need arise. They live mainly in open grassland habitats though 
some species occur in quite thick hush. Most arc cryptically coloured on 
their upperparts, whilst being white, buff or black below. Hard to see from 
above for predators but boldly marked for visual communication with other 
bustards. They have hexagonal leg scales, three toes and no preen gland, 
feathers are cared for with a covering of friable powder down and dustbathing. 
Most bustards are omnivores and opportunistically eat whatever is available. 
They may walk and feed, searching the vegetation and ground around them, or 
stop and feed intensely in one place for a lengthy period of time. 
The breeding systems of the African species are little known and are likely 
to range from monogamy to polygamy. In the latter case the female may rear 
the young on her own. Males establish widely spaced territories or form loose 
associations where they court females. Most bustards display but since this 
is largely a male behaviour aimed at achieving matings with as many females as 
possible it is reduced or absent in monogamous species. If you have established 
a permanent pair bond there is no point in wasting valuable time and energy 
resources displaying. White-bellied call a great deal but do not perform the 
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