Geographic Range
Little bustards are found in Spain, France, northern Morocco, the eastern coastal
regions of Italy, the Sardinia island province of Italy, Turkey, eastern Ukraine,
south western Russia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Iran, and a small area in
north western China. About half of the global population exists on the Iberian Peninsula.
Birds from France and northern Iberian Peninsula will migrate to the southern parts
of the Iberian Peninsula for the winter.
- Biogeographic Regions
- palearctic
Habitat
Little bustard preferred habitat is dry, open grassland.
Tetrax tetrax
will also inhabit pasture lands due to its similarity of the original steppe-like
habitat. In agriculture areas, there is a preference towards mid-height vegetation
with medium density allowing for abundant food, ability to find mates, and ability
to spot predators.
- Habitat Regions
- temperate
- Terrestrial Biomes
- savanna or grassland
- Other Habitat Features
- agricultural
Physical Description
Little bustards have a wingspan of 105 to 115 cm, length of 40 to 45 cm, and weigh
700 to 950 g. Plumage is primarily white with brown on the ventral side. Dorsal side
is brown with white streaks and occasionally black spots . Males are colored bluish-grey
on the chin. Black feathered necks with white V below chin and white collar on the
dorsal side of the neck. White V on neck may be symmetrical or asymmetrical on the
left or right side. White collar on dorsal side of neck can occur as continuous or
interrupted). Females are white on the ventral side. On the dorsal side, from head
to tail, they are brown with black tips. Legs and bills are light brown in color.
- Other Physical Features
- endothermic
- homoiothermic
- bilateral symmetry
- Sexual Dimorphism
- sexes colored or patterned differently
Reproduction
Little bustards most commonly utilize a polygynous mating system. However, they may
also utilize a lek mating system where there is no male parental care and males congregate
at sites for display.
- Mating System
- polygynous
Mating is once a year, with the average size clutch 3 to 4 eggs, although clutch sizes
of 1 to 6 eggs have been observed. Eggs are incubated by the female for three weeks.
Fledging occurs after about 45-50 days. Nests are formed in shallow ground depressions
with grassy cover.
- Key Reproductive Features
- iteroparous
- seasonal breeding
- gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate)
- sexual
- oviparous
Males provide no parental. Chicks are precocial from birth, so they are relatively
independent. All care that is provided for the chicks is done by the females.
- Parental Investment
- precocial
- female parental care
Lifespan/Longevity
Average lifespan for little bustards is about 10 years which is longer than similar
sized, ground-nesting, plant eating birds. Females become sexually mature at 1 year
of age whereas males become sexually mature at 2 years of age.
Behavior
Little bustards are a social species, particularly in the winter when they gather
in flocks. They commonly move via a slow walk and will tend to run instead of fly
when frightened or disturbed. Chicks are able to fly after about 20 days after hatching
despite not fledging until 45-50 days old.
Communication and Perception
During mating season, males attempt to attract mates through snort-like calls, foot
stamping, beating of wings, and leaping in the air. Leaps range from 20-100cm. Calls,
foot stamping, and beating of wings may be used in combination as well. When alone,
chicks produce a soft whistling call.
Food Habits
Little bustards are omnivorous feeding on green plants, seeds, invertebrates, and
insects. Populations in agricultural lands show preference towards alfalfa. Insects
are of particular importance during the mating season and rearing of chicks.
- Primary Diet
- omnivore
- Animal Foods
- insects
- Plant Foods
- seeds, grains, and nuts
Predation
The most common cause of death for
Tetrax tetrax
is predation by red fox (
Vulpes vulpes
), hen harrier (
Circus cyaneus
), peregrine falcon (
Falco peregrinus
), and the Iberian imperial eagle (
Aquilla adalberti
).
Ecosystem Roles
Little is known about the specific ecosystem role of
Tetrax tetrax
. They likely help with insect population control as well as seed dispersal for plants.
They are also prey for predators.
Economic Importance for Humans: Positive
Little bustards are hunted for meat.
- Positive Impacts
- food
Economic Importance for Humans: Negative
Little bustards consume agriculture crops. They have also been known to frequently
collide with vehicles, power lines, and aircraft.
Conservation Status
Listed as near threatened on the 2015 IUCN Red List. Populations in the east are more
of a concern due to smaller population numbers.
Additional Links
Contributors
Zach Schaefer (author), University of Wisconsin Stevens Point, Christopher Yahnke (editor), University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, Tanya Dewey (editor), University of Michigan-Ann Arbor.
- Palearctic
-
living in the northern part of the Old World. In otherwords, Europe and Asia and northern Africa.
- native range
-
the area in which the animal is naturally found, the region in which it is endemic.
- temperate
-
that region of the Earth between 23.5 degrees North and 60 degrees North (between the Tropic of Cancer and the Arctic Circle) and between 23.5 degrees South and 60 degrees South (between the Tropic of Capricorn and the Antarctic Circle).
- tropical savanna and grassland
-
A terrestrial biome. Savannas are grasslands with scattered individual trees that do not form a closed canopy. Extensive savannas are found in parts of subtropical and tropical Africa and South America, and in Australia.
- savanna
-
A grassland with scattered trees or scattered clumps of trees, a type of community intermediate between grassland and forest. See also Tropical savanna and grassland biome.
- temperate grassland
-
A terrestrial biome found in temperate latitudes (>23.5° N or S latitude). Vegetation is made up mostly of grasses, the height and species diversity of which depend largely on the amount of moisture available. Fire and grazing are important in the long-term maintenance of grasslands.
- agricultural
-
living in landscapes dominated by human agriculture.
- endothermic
-
animals that use metabolically generated heat to regulate body temperature independently of ambient temperature. Endothermy is a synapomorphy of the Mammalia, although it may have arisen in a (now extinct) synapsid ancestor; the fossil record does not distinguish these possibilities. Convergent in birds.
- bilateral symmetry
-
having body symmetry such that the animal can be divided in one plane into two mirror-image halves. Animals with bilateral symmetry have dorsal and ventral sides, as well as anterior and posterior ends. Synapomorphy of the Bilateria.
- polygynous
-
having more than one female as a mate at one time
- iteroparous
-
offspring are produced in more than one group (litters, clutches, etc.) and across multiple seasons (or other periods hospitable to reproduction). Iteroparous animals must, by definition, survive over multiple seasons (or periodic condition changes).
- seasonal breeding
-
breeding is confined to a particular season
- sexual
-
reproduction that includes combining the genetic contribution of two individuals, a male and a female
- oviparous
-
reproduction in which eggs are released by the female; development of offspring occurs outside the mother's body.
- young precocial
-
young are relatively well-developed when born
- female parental care
-
parental care is carried out by females
- motile
-
having the capacity to move from one place to another.
- migratory
-
makes seasonal movements between breeding and wintering grounds
- social
-
associates with others of its species; forms social groups.
- visual
-
uses sight to communicate
- acoustic
-
uses sound to communicate
- food
-
A substance that provides both nutrients and energy to a living thing.
- omnivore
-
an animal that mainly eats all kinds of things, including plants and animals
- visual
-
uses sight to communicate
- tactile
-
uses touch to communicate
- acoustic
-
uses sound to communicate
- chemical
-
uses smells or other chemicals to communicate
References
Arroyo, B., V. Bretagnolle. 1999. Field Identification of Individual Little Bustard Tetrax Tetrax Males Using Plummage. Ardeola , 46/1: 53-60. Accessed March 09, 2017 at http://www.avibirds.com/pdf/K/Kleine%20Trap1.pdf .
Arroyo, B., C. Palacin, et al.. 2010. Species Action Plan for the Little Bustard Tetrax tetrax in the European Union. European Commision , 1: 6-12. Accessed April 25, 2017 at http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/conservation/wildbirds/action_plans/docs/tetrax_tetrax.pdf .
Delgado, M., J. Traba, E. Garcia de la Morena, M. Morales. 2010. Habitat Selection and Density-Dependent Relationships in Spatial Occupancy by Male Little Bustards Tetrax tetrax. Ardea , 98/2: 185-194. Accessed April 26, 2017 at http://www.bioone.org/doi/pdf/10.5253/078.098.0208 .
Jiguet, F., B. Arroyo, V. Bretagnolle. 2000. Lek mating systems: a case study in the Little Bustard Tetrax tetrax. Behavioural Processes , 51: 63-82. Accessed April 27, 2017 at http://ac.els-cdn.com/S0376635700001194/1-s2.0-S0376635700001194-main.pdf?_tid=f7d81686-2c28-11e7-8f43-00000aab0f02&acdnat=1493394196_d7857f0d75061e9f65ce137d275b5a9e .
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