Grumpy old bustards!
Wondering what is going on in the pictures below? Our bustard have been having their spring wing clip.
Great Bustard are a magnificent bird, once native to the U.K. with the last known English bustard having had a stronghold here in Norfolk up until 1832. Watatunga is partnered with the Great Bustard Group in Salisbury Plain and home to five of these birds, not deemed fit for release on the plains for various reasons such as cataracts or injuries. Dave and Rommel, two of our older males are (in)famous on our tours and each are big characters, much loved by visitors.
Our birds are free ranging in 170 acres and so, to prevent them getting out, we have to clip their wings regularly throughout the year. This is actually one of the last times we clip before they being to moult over July and August. Right now it is breeding season – this lasts until June and is a fantastic time to visit to see these magnificent birds displaying, their stunning white under-feathers ruffled up and reversed in an extraordinary display.
We aim to wing-clip our great bustard in October for the first cut of their new growth. We then monitor feather growth as they grow surprisingly quickly and usually clip in November and again in January to ensure that they cannot elope. The bustard’s flight feathers are a dark grey in colour so they are very distinctive against their white belly feathers, and you can see them when they run so it’s clear when it’s time to clip.
We wing-clip our female on one wing and our males on both wings as the males need to be able to balance better in order to mate with the female. Our female is speedy and is about half the size of the male so wing clipping just one of her wings keeps her off balance so that there is less of a chance of her gaining flight and getting out.
Wing clipping doesn’t hurt at all, it’s no more than a hair cut and it is all over in less than a minute. We have huge nets that we use to catch our bustard in. We then have to crouch over them, stretch out one wing at a time (this is a two person job as they are very strong and heavy birds). Adult males can weigh up to 18kg! We then cut the flight feathers with secateurs as they are far too strong for normal scissors, lift up the next and release them.
Our female bustard is just approaching a mature enough age for breeding and so we are hopeful that she might lay this year. Watch this space for updates!