Macqueen's Bustard
Encyclopedia
The MacQueen's Bustard, Chlamydotis macqueenii, is a large bird
in the bustard
family. It breeds in southwestern Asia
. It has recently been split as a separate species from the Houbara Bustard
, Chlamydotis undulata of the Canary Islands
and north Africa
. These two species are the only members of the Chlamydotis
genus.
The dividing line between the two species is the Sinai peninsula
. MacQueen's has a greater tendency to wander than the sedentary Houbara Bustard and a handful of Chlamydotis bustards have reached Great Britain
, mainly in the 19th century. All those attributable to a species have been the more geographically remote Macqueen's.
It is unlikely that any more of this species will reach western Europe, since it has been hunted to near-extinction in the Middle East
by Arab falcon
ers. Conservation efforts by the late Shaikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan in the United Arab Emirates have given some hope for the future of this Bustard. http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle.asp?xfile=data/theuae/2005/August/theuae_August932.xml§ion=theuae&col=
This species breeds in deserts and other very arid sandy areas. It is 60 cm long with an 140 cm wingspan. It is brown above and white below, with a black stripe down the sides of its neck. In flight, the long wings show large areas of black and brown on the flight feathers. Sexes are similar, but the female is smaller and greyer above. Macqueen’s Bustard is vocally almost silent. Macqueen's is slightly larger and paler than Houbara.
Like other bustards, these have a flamboyant display raising the white feathers of the head and throat and withdrawing the head. 2-4 eggs are laid on the ground.
This species is omnivorous taking seeds, insects and other small creatures. It is named after the British soldier and collector General Thomas MacQueen
.
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
in the bustard
Bustard
Bustards, including floricans and korhaans, are large terrestrial birds mainly associated with dry open country and steppes in the Old World...
family. It breeds in southwestern Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
. It has recently been split as a separate species from the Houbara Bustard
Houbara Bustard
The Houbara Bustard, Chlamydotis undulata, is a large bird in the bustard family.-Description:The Houbara Bustard is a small to mid-sized bustard. It measures in length and spans across the wings. It is brown above and white below, with a black stripe down the sides of its neck. In flight, the...
, Chlamydotis undulata of the Canary Islands
Canary Islands
The Canary Islands , also known as the Canaries , is a Spanish archipelago located just off the northwest coast of mainland Africa, 100 km west of the border between Morocco and the Western Sahara. The Canaries are a Spanish autonomous community and an outermost region of the European Union...
and north Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
. These two species are the only members of the Chlamydotis
Chlamydotis
Chlamydotis is a genus of large birds in the bustard family. It contains two species, formerly considered to be conspecific.* Houbara Bustard, Chlamydotis undulata * Macqueen's Bustard, Chlamydotis macqueenii...
genus.
The dividing line between the two species is the Sinai peninsula
Sinai Peninsula
The Sinai Peninsula or Sinai is a triangular peninsula in Egypt about in area. It is situated between the Mediterranean Sea to the north, and the Red Sea to the south, and is the only part of Egyptian territory located in Asia as opposed to Africa, effectively serving as a land bridge between two...
. MacQueen's has a greater tendency to wander than the sedentary Houbara Bustard and a handful of Chlamydotis bustards have reached Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
, mainly in the 19th century. All those attributable to a species have been the more geographically remote Macqueen's.
It is unlikely that any more of this species will reach western Europe, since it has been hunted to near-extinction in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
by Arab falcon
Falcon
A falcon is any species of raptor in the genus Falco. The genus contains 37 species, widely distributed throughout Europe, Asia, and North America....
ers. Conservation efforts by the late Shaikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan in the United Arab Emirates have given some hope for the future of this Bustard. http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle.asp?xfile=data/theuae/2005/August/theuae_August932.xml§ion=theuae&col=
This species breeds in deserts and other very arid sandy areas. It is 60 cm long with an 140 cm wingspan. It is brown above and white below, with a black stripe down the sides of its neck. In flight, the long wings show large areas of black and brown on the flight feathers. Sexes are similar, but the female is smaller and greyer above. Macqueen’s Bustard is vocally almost silent. Macqueen's is slightly larger and paler than Houbara.
Like other bustards, these have a flamboyant display raising the white feathers of the head and throat and withdrawing the head. 2-4 eggs are laid on the ground.
This species is omnivorous taking seeds, insects and other small creatures. It is named after the British soldier and collector General Thomas MacQueen
Thomas MacQueen
General Thomas MacQueen was a British army officer in the 45th Bengal Native Infantry regiment of the British East India Company....
.
External links
- Taxonomic recommendations for British birds (PDF format).