PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
Austria and Hungary have been actively involved in Great Bustard (Otis tarda) conservation for several years, a bird species listed in Annex I of the Birds Directive. Following 2 Austrian LIFE projects and 1 Hungarian LIFE project, both countries jointly launched a major cross-border initiative to protect the Great Bustard population in Central Europe.
OBJECTIVES
Building on the success of previous efforts, this LIFE project aimed to continue intensive habitat management and to reduce the risk of collisions with power lines, which has been the main mortality factor for both immature and adult Great Bustards for many years.
Specific project aims were to:
- support and maximise the effectiveness of the cross-border protection in Austria and Hungary through the coordination of conservation measures and optimal communication,
- increase publicity about the bustards, through short films and media coverage to spread knowledge of the special value of the traditional, cultivated landscape,
- highlight the necessity of an integrated approach to nature conservation in the targeted Natura 2000 sites.
RESULTS
The LIFE Great Bustard project was successful in increasing the population of Great Bustards in Austria and Hungary, and in reducing major threats to the population. The burial of medium-voltage electricity power lines was implemented to a much larger extent than planned: 111.5 km of medium voltage power lines were removed, with the support of the energy supply companies concerned – 41 km more than originally planned. This has significantly reduced mortality of Great Bustards due to collisions with medium-voltage power lines in Natura 2000 sites.
Key results include:
- over the past 2 decades, the Central European population of the Great Bustard has increased by 64% in the Pannonian region (from 1 483 individuals in 2005 to 2 427 in 2024),
- the LIFE Great Bustard project fostered strong collaboration with farmers, hunters and local officials to create suitable breeding sites across 9 project sub-areas (approximately 45 200 ha in 4 areas in Austria, and approximately 202 100 ha in 5 areas in Hungaria), and to protect them against disturbance,
- as part of the project memorandum of understanding (MoU), the Declaration on the long-term conservation of the Great Bustard in the tri-border region of Hungary, Austria and Slovakia and its surroundings was signed in September 2023 by the representatives of these 3 countries,
- the project has built and operates a great bustard visitor centre in Kunszentmiklós (Hungary),
- 73 great bustards (23 in Austria, 50 in Hungary) were equipped with GPS transmitters to monitor their movements and gather new information on habitat preference, population dynamics and the use of peripheral habitats.
