Hungary

Current Population:

Total: 1,200+ individuals (2005), divided as follows:-

In and around:
Koros-Maros National Park: 400 individuals (to south east)
Kis-Kunsag National Park: 500+ individuals (to south central)
Hortobagy National Park: 100+ individuals (to east)

Status:
The steppe grasslands of the Hungarian Great Plain have long been known as a stronghold of the Great Bustard. However, over several decades since 1945 the population declined by about 85 %.

1941- 8,500
1977- 3,200
1984- 1,200
2005- 1,200

Conservation actions have recently stabilised numbers around 1,200.
The Hungarian population is now the third highest in Europe after Spain and Russia and similar to that in Portugal.

Habitats Used:
Most of Hungary consists of flat lowland plains, now 60 % arable farmland and 10 % grassland. Great Bustards occur in both National Park areas and in commercial farmland. Around 200,000 ha of natural grasslands occur in National Parks whilst 400,000 ha still exist in farmland (cf. Salisbury Plain holds only 14,000 ha).
In Hungarian bustard habitats, cereals and lucerne (alfalfa) cover about 40 % of land area with oil seed rape at 5 % the favourite winter food. About 60 % of nests are in cereals with 30 % in grasslands and 5 % in lucerne.

Conservation:
A major reason for the reduction in numbers was the ploughing of grasslands and mechanisation of agriculture. Other factors include power lines, tree belts, new buildings and insecticides. Hunting resulted in significant losses up to 1970 when the species was fully protected.
The Hungarian population suffered large declines in more recent years due to winter migration mortality in Italy and Albania. These arose if birds flew south when snow covered their winter food crops. Significant areas of oil seed rape are now grown in Hungary to provide local winter feed and the numbers lost in winter are currently small.
EU LIFE projects have recently been implemented. These have enabled more farmland to be purchased adjacent to National Parks to enlarge the areas, which support bustards within a reserve environment.
In Koros Maros NP, at Devavanja bustard research station a new (400 ha) release pen has also been built. The pen allows up to 40 females to nest in relative safety and also permits the release of other chicks, which have been reared from eggs collected from vulnerable field sites.
EU LIFE project website: www.tuzok.hu
MME (Hungarian Ornithological Society) website: www.mme.hu

Visiting:
Flights to Budapest + car hire.
In the Hortobagy NP Great Bustards can be seen from a hide to the north east of the village of Nagyvan (south east of Tiszafured).
Rehely Visitor Centre, Devavanja (in the Koros Maros NP, south east of Kisujszallas)
Telephone: (00 36) 66 483 083

Recommended Accommodation at Farm Lator. These are converted farmhouses in the Bukk NP south of Miskolc, run by Rob de Jong a dutch zoologist / conservationist, who also provides guided tours of the Hortobagy NP. Telephone: (00 36) 49 336 133
e-mail: farmlator@hotmail.com
website: www.farmlator.hu