Houbara bustard  (Chlamydotis undulata)

The traditional practice of hunting for houbara bustards by Middle Eastern falconers has reduced populations significantly, mainly on the wintering grounds. This over-hunting has been compounded by habitat loss and degradation. The subspecies C. u. fuertaventurae has been particularly affected by habitat degradation as a result of tourist activities and associated development, as well as by military exercises, over-grazing, sand-extraction, and road-development. Further threats include collisions with power lines, and nest-predation by introduced mammals (9).

C. u. fuertaventurae has benefited from improved protection from poaching and improved habitat management within protected areas. C. u. macqueenii has been the subject of several studies into its status, ecology and migration routes. It has also been involved in captive breeding programmes for restocking areas where it is heavily hunted (9). In 2005, an International Action Plan for C. u. undulate was published, outlining a plan which aims to restore, stabilise or increase the population of houbara bustard in North Africa within five years (7).