Past Distribution of Bustards (Otidiformes Wagler, 1830) in Bulgaria

For the first time, an attempt has been made to comprehensively summarize data on the past distribution of bustards on the territory of Bulgaria based on their fossil and subfossil finds. The collected data refer to a total of 32 Quaternary localities (natural and of anthropogenic origin), of which three are Pleistocene and 29 of Holocene age. The earliest locality of an otidid identified to the species level dates back to 2.4 million years ago. A total of three species have been identified. Among them, one species, Khosatzki’s Houbara (Otis aff. khosatzkii), has disappeared from the modern fauna of the country. Great Bustard (Otis tarda) was found in 20 Quaternary localities, Little Bustard (Tetrax tetrax) in eight, Otis tarda/Tetrax tetrax in two, Khosatzki’s Houbara in one and Otididae gen. in one locality. Chronostratigraphically both Great Bustard and Little Bustard were spread from Greenlandian to Meghalayan (i.e., last ca. 117,000 ya), while the earliest Khosatzki’s Houbara is known only from Gelasian (2.23–2.40 Mya). All finds originated from localities at between 20 and 670 m. a.s.l. in plains, lowlands and low hills. The presence of extant species of bustards on the territory of Bulgaria is rather a post-Pleistocene (Holocene) phenomenon. Besides their primary use as a source of meat for food, bustards in Bulgaria were also used as a source of materials for tool making by ancient people.