Chlamydotis macqueenii (J. E. Gray, 1832)

McAlister, Greg, Cuthbert, Dr Brian & Bell, Iain, 2020, Preliminary Environmental and Social Impact Assessment 100 MW Solar PV Plant by Navoi in Uzbekistan, 1 Tanfield Edinburgh EH 3 5 DA United Kingdom: World Bank (WB) : 98

Houbara Bustard -

Chlamydotis macqueenii

Consultation with ecologists from the Emirate Centre for the Conservation of the Houbara (ECCH) at the Uzbekistan ECCH headquarters (to the east of Lake Tudakul) undertaken during the March field survey visit confirmed that houbara bustard occur Karnabchul Steppe IBA and adjacent areas. Birds associated with the ECCH reintroduction project are subject to a ringing and satellite tagging programme and individuals have been known to occasionally disperse from the re-introduction site to the wider Central Asia region, with the majority of birds residing within the IBA (ECCH ecologists pers comm). However, considering the small size of the habitat within the proposed project area, compared to the extensive areas of steppe which is ubiquitous throughout the region, the likelihood that this species is dependent on habitat within the proposed project area is considered to be negligible. Additionally, an elevated range of hills between the re-introduction site/IBA and the proposed project area has the potential to form a barrier to movement for this species.

Houbara bustard was not recorded within the AOI during the AECOM March 2020 ecological field survey visit. ECCH ecologists had commenced fieldwork to monitor the population of the breeding population within Karnabchul Steppe IBA in the first week of March (ECCH ecologists pers comm). Therefore, the timing of the AECOM ecological surveys in March 2020 are considered suitable in terms of detecting breeding populations of this species within the AOI.

Common name: Asian Houbara.

Compiled from data in Table 6 .

1 ex.; Uzbekistan, Navoiy Region, Karmana District, Navoiy, Uzumzor , lat: 40.12, long: 65.35; 2020-03-03 - 2020-03-05; ( Table 6 ) .