Synonyms: African Houbara Bustard
Class: Birds
Order: Otidiformes
Family: Otidae
Genus and species: Chlamydotis undulata
English Name: Houbara bustard
Arabic Name: H’bara
Phenology: Erratic sedentary
Description, habitats and behaviors
The Houbara Bustard is a medium-sized bird. It measures 55 to 65 cm in length, has a wingspan of 135 to 170 cm, and weighs between 1200 and 2500 g. It has a pale sand-colored upper part, speckled with black above and white below, with a black stripe on the sides of the neck. The Houbara Bustard inhabits arid and desert environments where it favors vast bare or slightly rolling plains covered with sparse vegetation or small shrubs. Activity is generally diurnal and occurs mainly at dawn, before sunrise, and at dusk, just before sunset. In the non-breeding season, the Bustard is generally gregarious and forms groups of 2 to 10 individuals. During the breeding period, males and females tend to become solitary. The Houbara Bustard is described as an omnivorous and opportunistic bird that chooses its diet based on local and seasonal variations in food resources.
Status in the world and in the region
The Houbara Bustard is listed in the "Vulnerable" (VU) category, according to the IUCN Red List criteria. In Tunisia, this species is on the verge of extinction due to illegal hunting, degradation of its habitats linked to overgrazing, urbanization, and the intensification of agriculture. The region constitutes one of the historical habitats for this erratic species; therefore, it is not excluded that it may survive there.
