The great bustard (Otis tarda), a globally endangered species, is nearly extinct in Romania, with its last viable population located in the Salonta area. However, even this population is not entirely “ours,” as the approximately 50 individuals live in the border region, using habitats on both sides of the Romanian-Hungarian frontier. Most of the bustards in this region breed in Hungary, but during winter, the entire population gathers almost exclusively around Salonta. Moreover, their number has increased in the last two winters, reaching approximately 75 individuals, likely due to the arrival of birds from other neighboring populations (from the Vésztő area, Dévaványa region, and the Bihari Plain). This assumption is supported by our observations, including a marked individual from Dévaványa, which has been sighted in Salonta during recent winters.

If this phenomenon were not already remarkable, another significant group of bustards was recently observed in Bihor County, along the Crișul Repede River, downstream of Oradea. Although specialists from the Hortobágy National Park Administration informed us that bustards have been spotted crossing into Romanian territory in this border region during past winters, this is the first time their presence in the area between the Crișul Repede and the border has been officially documented. The observed group consisted of at least 41 individuals.

Thus, in recent days, the total number of great bustards in Bihor County, including the wintering population in Salonta, has reached nearly 120 individuals – an unimaginable figure just a few years ago. It is important to note that the great bustard is a facultative migratory species, meaning it leaves its usual winter habitats only under extreme conditions, such as persistent frost and deep snow cover, which lead to food scarcity. However, increasingly mild winters and the widespread cultivation of rapeseed – whose green leaves are the primary winter food source for bustards in the Carpathian Basin – have created conditions that have significantly reduced long-distance migrations for this species. This is beneficial for their conservation, as such migrations often result in high mortality rates.

The gatherings of bustards observed in Bihor County are not the result of long migrations but rather of shorter, natural movements of a few dozen kilometers. Such movements are typical during this period when bustards are not as attached to their breeding grounds and nearby areas. In Salonta, breeding has been confirmed in several years, but it is unlikely that the area along the Crișul Repede will become a breeding habitat since no known “lekking” sites (breeding grounds for great bustards) exist nearby.

Nonetheless, it is uplifting to see them in winter near Oradea, in the ancient bustard habitats where, decades ago, a permanent population existed. The great bustard is a species extremely loyal to its breeding grounds, and once it disappears as a breeding species from an area, its return is only possible through artificial reintroductions or natural expansions over very long periods.

This is why it is crucial to preserve the population in Salonta, as we should not reach a point where we must celebrate the occasional winter visits of groups from Hungary.