Asiatic Houbara ( Chlamydotis macqueenii ) is a flagship and vulnerable species. In-situ conservation of this threatened species demands for knowledge of its habitat selection. The aim of this study was to determine habitat variables influencing birds wintering and breeding selection in semiarid central Iran. Habitat features of the detected nest and pellet sites were compared with paired and r...

Avian pox, a disease caused by avipoxviruses, is a major cause of decline of some endangered bird species. While its impact has been assessed in several species in the wild, effects of the disease in conservation breeding have never been studied. Houbara bustard species (Chlamydotis undulata and Chlamydotis macqueenii), whose populations declined in the last decades, have been captive bred for ...

Clinical, pathological, and epidemiological findings are presented on fatty liver syndrome mainly in houbara bustards (Chlamydotis undulata macqueenii), but also in some other bustard species. Of 72 houbara bustards, 34 (47%) had fatty liver diagnosed post-mortem. Males and females were equally susceptible, and both adults and juvenile birds were affected. Bustards with fatty liver had signific...

Implementation of conservation breeding programs is a key step to ensuring the sustainability of many endangered species. Infectious diseases can be serious threats for the success of such initiatives especially since knowledge on pathogens affecting those species is usually scarce. Houbara bustard species (Chlamydotis undulata and Chlamydotis macqueenii), whose populations have declined over t...

Desert birds often experience a scarcity of drinking water and food and must survive episodes of high ambient temperature (T(a)). The physiological mechanisms that promote survival during extended periods of high T(a) have received little attention. We investigated the physiological responses of wild-caught and captive-reared Houbara bustards, Chlamydotis macqueenii, to T(a) values ranging from...