How to find Dupont's Lark, bustards and sandgrouse in the Steppes of Spain (1 Viewer)

Stephen C · Jan 31, 2017

A complete guide to finding, watching and photographing Steppe birds, a thorough exposé of their environs and behaviour that contains about 100 pieces of directly relevant information, 20 instructive photos and more than a few field craft trade secrets – including dispelling one or two myths!

Introduction

Without doubt the Steppes is always the first location any birder excitedly pencils in when planning a birding holiday to Spain.

With the vast majority of their respective European populations concentrated in Spain, Great Bustard, Little Bustard, Pin-tailed Sandgrouse, Black-bellied Sandgrouse and of course Dupont’s Lark would be on any bird watcher’s list.

But if you think scanning for a bendy beak at daybreak, staking out a watering hole and then checking the fields for those big bustards is all there is to birding in the Steppes, think again. It will provide you with one of the most challenging experiences of your birding life.

But, of course, all the more thrilling for it...the attached Dupont's Lark photo was taken by David Linstead at 1115h on 28th February after almost giving up due to strong winds!

Please remember that everything contained below is based upon my own experiences over 11 years as a bird guide and may not reflect what others have recorded elsewhere.

I've broken it down into the following sections and will try to use photos to illustrate points where possible:

1. Songs, calls and other noises
2. Habitat
3. Time of year and its effect on birds' behaviour
4. Time of day and its effect on birds' behaviour.
5. General behaviour and field craft tips.

I hope it's of use.

Stephen C · Jan 31, 2017

How to find Dupont's Lark, bustards and sandgrouse in the Steppes of Spain [Part 2]

1. Songs, calls and other noises…

In my experience as a bird guide, the vast majority of Black-bellied and Pin-tailed Sandgrouse are first encountered through sound, which is then used to track an airborne flock en route to a favourite field, discover a hidden feeding group bubbling out contact calls on the ground or pick-out an individual’s skylark-high courtship flight.

The flight calls of a flock of Pin-tailed Sandgrouse is reminiscent of distant Jackdaw and they will often chatter on the ground too. Less easy to locate is, as mentioned, when a single serenading male climbs to a height many larks would be proud of. Thankfully, however, he might go on for several minutes giving you time to hone in.

The most frequently-heard bubbling call of Black-bellied Sandgrouse, which again can be made in flight or from the ground, has been compared to a rumbling stomach but I'm not sure how useful that is.

The classic fart-raspberry ‘song’ of a breeding male Little Bustard, which delivers its palabras de amor with a characteristic head toss, is very well known but be aware that it’s quite ventriloquial and can be further away, or in a different direction, than at first appears. I thought the first one I ever heard was a grasshopper not too far from my feet.

It may help to know that they perform on up to five ‘stages’ within their territory, often hidden but usually including the highest point such as a slightly raised mound of earth. This usually occurs from mid-March, sometimes taking several weeks to pair with a female, but birds can be heard later in the season too. I've witnessed many in late June having been forced to start again after their nest, chicks and all, has been harvested.

If you do hear one, persevere rather than be tempted to head off in search of another as most show themselves eventually.

A relatively little known Little Bustard noise however is the ‘wing-whistle’ of flying males. A strange high-pitched sibilance is created as they flap, possibly evolving to help keep flocks together in flight, and can easily be lost in a symphony of lark songs.

It’s invaluable however, along with the calls of sandgrouse, for making you immediately aware of birds passing overhead that you might otherwise miss. In this way we often pick-up sightings of Little Bustard and both sandgrouse whilst we’re busy scanning for them on the ground!

The song of the Dupont’s Lark, once heard, is never forgotten, even if it’s on a recording. I’m not particularly one for using a recorded lure, preferring traditional field craft instead, and it is more than frowned upon hear (beware of the countryside police). Dupont's Larks' songs vary, sometimes quite remarkably, from region to region and studies have shown that the use of tape-plays confuses the resident birds. In any case, even in the unlikely event it induced one to sing sooner than a little patience would, this won’t help you to see it.

What is useful however is the knowledge that they will sing from the ground as they walk (so keep scanning gaps in the vegetation), that they will make free use of rocks, walls, high ground and the sides of low herbaceous plants to perch on (although, interestingly, only ever once on top of a bush in my experience) and that the song travels – so the culprit is invariably further away than you think!

All this is made even more challenging by the fact that males often move their head from side to side as they sing, having the sometimes confusing effect of 'casting' the sound across it's territory.

Sometimes, of course, the sound will be coming from the air; extremely handy for first locating a bird before trying for a better view once it has landed. If you don’t manage to hone in whilst it’s still singing, then note that the song flight, and often even normal flight as rare as that is, frequently ends in a sudden vertical plummet to the ground, interrupted by a brief ‘brakes on’ flutter a couple of metres above the settle point.

John Cantelo · Jan 31, 2017

Excellent stuff, thank you. One day I'm going to get up to those steppes and join you ....

Andy Adcock · Jan 31, 2017

Finding Dupont's is easy......it's seeing them that's hard!

A good bet is to stay in your car if possible as we did in Morroco, birds showed incredibly well, even singing from atop a small bush.

A

jurek · Jan 31, 2017

Great piece of information Stephen, I am sure people will appreciate it.

My best observation of Dupont's came with a little trick. We arrived on the hot midday and found several big flocks of grazing sheep which were surely making matters worse. My mate was crazy on finding Dupont's and I was sadly contemplating wasting incredible amount of time. Then I had an idea to turn the problem into our advantage. We used the sheep as beaters.

We walked to the side and, from a good distance, scanned the direction in which the grazing animals were moving. Surely, we had a perfect, long observation of four Dupont's Larks, probably a pair with two grown juveniles. They were running away from the sheep, but were visible for us at the same time!

foresttwitcher · Jan 31, 2017

A very informative (and for me well timed) post - looking forward to the rest.

KenM · Jan 31, 2017

Sounds like a dog might be useful for Dupont's then....

Nutcracker · Jan 31, 2017

KenM said:
Sounds like a dog might be useful for Dupont's then....

Methinks there'll be a big difference between their response to dogs (a dangerous potential predator) and sheep (a minor annoyance to sit out and watch from a good vantage point until they move on)

KenM · Feb 1, 2017

Nutcracker said:
Methinks there'll be a big difference between their response to dogs (a dangerous potential predator) and sheep (a minor annoyance to sit out and watch from a good vantage point until they move on)

My old dog long since parted....flushed Woodlark, Richards Pipit, Olive-backed Pipit, SEO, RLPartridge, Pheasant, and Woodcock to mention the choicest!....

rosbifs · Feb 1, 2017

KenM said:
My old dog long since parted....flushed Woodlark, Richards Pipit, Olive-backed Pipit, SEO, RLPartridge, Pheasant, and Woodcock to mention the choicest!....

Did he carry a Nikon in his paws? I have seen that sort of thing elsewhere!

As is said on your other thread - brilliant. The steppes can be very daunting and difficult if you don't have a 'Stephen' in tow. These guys put in the hard yards and years to make things look easy when you're there. Thank you for posting up.

Martin Bell · Feb 1, 2017

We didn't have too many problems seeing Dupont's at El Planeron. We pulled up around lunch time. Broke open the sandwiches, a bird popped up onto the top of a bush singing away, giving great views. It then took to the air, rising high before dropping to the ground, almost landing on my head, before running across the road into the scrub. In total we saw at least 3 birds sitting on the tops of bushes singing.

John Muddeman · Feb 1, 2017

Good stuff Stephen.

Just a couple of quick points to add. As noted, being in or close to the car on the usual tracks and NOT walking into the habitat is a good option, and more so during the breeding season.

Some sites, such as near Segovia, in fact are in reserves where 1. you are not allowed to walk in during certain dates (don't use the excuse that sheep do, as their effect on the vegetation is very different to ours!), and 2. using playback is banned anyway (as it is, in principal, in ALL reserves in Spain).

They often sit on top of thyme bushes, but with just head and shoulders protruding, allowing them to easily slip away.

Interested to hear that they are possible from late Feb onwards at least. It's too cold here in in C Spain to normally try, but as residents, I guess they should be singing from this early on occasions.

Cheers

John

KenM · Feb 1, 2017

rosbifs said:
Did he carry a Nikon in his paws? I have seen that sort of thing elsewhere!

Perhaps I should have mentioned....my dogs exploits were carried out on public land, where dog ownership, horse riding, model aeroplane/drone flying, fishing, cycling, running and rambling, are all part of recreational activities, as far as the Corporation of London is concerned. No Reserves, or Private land!

rosbifs · Feb 2, 2017

Martin Bell said:
We didn't have too many problems seeing Dupont's at El Planeron. We pulled up around lunch time. Broke open the sandwiches, a bird popped up onto the top of a bush singing away, giving great views. It then took to the air, rising high before dropping to the ground, almost landing on my head, before running across the road into the scrub. In total we saw at least 3 birds sitting on the tops of bushes singing.

On my first visit we arrived, at El Planeron, late afternoon in April. Not a sausage! My father had been years earlier so in the morning insisted on going to Lomaza(?) because that was the place to go 300 years ago. We did hear but not see a Duponts and a flock of very distant, presumed, Sandgrouse sp in flight - "in my day, this used to be a deserted cart track!" refering to the constant stream of lorries. On relocation to El Planeron we heard and saw the little fellows amongst all the other species of lark but no other Sandgrouse, Bustards etc. (did see an Orphean Warbler en route) - one notable bird was so loud and close you felt you could touch it but it remained invisible to the naked eye.
The point is/was that this place can look fairly daunting in the sense that everything looks the same in every direction and for miles. We stopped in numerous places along the main road and explored various tracks but didn't hear another. I don't doubt for a second that they are all over this basin.
We found some interesting places and birds but life would have been easier with the above - document and or person (SC)...

Stephen C · Feb 6, 2017

How to find Dupont's Lark, bustards and sandgrouse in the Steppes of Spain [Part 3]

2. Habitat

So, where exactly do you start looking?

While it’s clearly true that much of Spain is relatively dry there’s more water available to birds than you might think and waiting by a watering hole for sandgrouse to show for a ritual drink, unlike in Africa, will have limited success.

And even if you’ve singled out a well-known and reliable location on the Internet, upon first arrival you’ll still be filled with doubt.

True steppe, defined as ‘a treeless plain, often semi-arid and grass-covered’, no longer exists in much of Spain or Europe, not in any real sense anyway, it having been greedily swallowed up by generations of irrigation, intensive farming and over-grazing. Most of what we now see as Steppe is actually land where cultivation has been abandoned long ago.

So ‘non-irrigated cereal cultivation’ often replaces ‘grass-covered’ and ‘interspersed scrub and almond trees’ may have to be substituted for ‘treeless’.

In other words, abandoned farmland, as in the example shown in the first photo in this section, and even active areas of crop fields, as long as they’re not irrigated, will hold bustards and sandgrouse during both the breeding and non-breeding seasons.

If you want to study the photos in the whole of this piece, I've deliberately selected 'touristy' ones rather than bird close-ups as they show a range of habitat types. For instance, photos 2, 3 and 4 of this section show cultivated fields that are fallow, stubble and planted but don't forget that sandgrouse and bustards can also be found in ploughed fields.

The Birds of the Western Palearctic, among others, has Dupont’s Lark habitat down as open flat areas, or slopes not exceeding 25% gradient, with ground cover of about 30% made up of vegetation not more than 30 – 50 cm tall. Well. Just in case that means absolutely nothing at all, as with me when I started looking for Dupont’s Lark, I've attached a photo of my patch (the last one in this section) to at least give you an idea.

There's actually more to say on habitat but, not surprisingly, it's intrinsically linked to the birds' behaviour so I'll expand in the next two sections.

[By the way, I love the discussion and input from everyone but, to avoid repeating myself, I'll wait until I've finished to respond if that's o.k.]

jurek · Feb 6, 2017

I read that for Dupont's crucial is that the soil is loam or stony, not sand, the vegetation is no more than knee high and plants do not grow evenly, but form tufts or clumps of grass or herbs with open soil in between. Places in which I seen or heard Dupont's so far fit it.

Stephen C · Feb 7, 2017

How to find Dupont's Lark, bustards and sandgrouse in the Steppes of Spain [Part 3]

3. Time of year and its effect on birds' behaviour

So we are told, after breeding, the Dupont’s Lark abandons its territory and habitat to mix it up with flocks of Skylark and Calandra Lark in cereal fields, especially of barley or oats.

However, if I tell you that I have only once discovered a Dupont’s Lark amidst such flocks, it may give you an impression of the scale of the task in Winter. But don’t despair as my own experience appears to contradict this claim and I'd welcome any anecdotal evidence on the subject from anyone reading.

In my patch, and in my experience, I have sighting records of birds on territory throughout the whole year, and singing in every month except the period of late June, July and August. This seems logical of course, for the most part being post-breeding, but, from a scientific point of view, it's important to consider that I visit less during this period so it might not paint an accurate picture.

It seems to me that, however intermittently, birds will sing almost throughout the year (I have a very high success rate in September for instance) but it’s not by any means uncommon to hear birds singing in their territories from November. From February on, I rarely miss seeing and hearing them until mid-June.

In summary then, it's always worth a shot!

With regards to the WEATHER, don't fall into the trap of many by personifying the birds, attributing them with human behavioural characteristics.

Remember that the Steppes by their very nature suffer wide variations in temperature - both daily and annual, having colder Winters and hotter Summers and colder nights and hotter days than surrounding habitats. But remember also that Steppe birds have had millennia to adapt to this. It's their domain; they're used to it. Just because you're put off when it's cold, it doesn't mean they are. They wouldn't survive if they were.

For instance, if I remember rightly from my Zoology days, I believe Sandgrouse, as an adaptation to conserve heat, are the only bird family with their body feathers aligned evenly distributed over the skin, more like mammals than the rest of the avian kingdom, whose body feathers grow in distinct lines.

In any case, my records - from my patch in the 'colder' North-east of Spain remember - show that there is little or no significant correlation between the cold and lack of singing in Dupont's Lark. If there were then why sing predominantly during the colder morning before sunrise?

[That said, to be fair, it could be argued that my Winter singing records, which are always during daylight hours as I rarely check in darkness, reflect a tendency to sing later in the day in Winter, when it's warmer. If true, this would support why birds will sing earlier in breeding season, when the hours of darkness are no colder than late morning in Winter. It would also explain why many people don't record birds singing in Winter - as perhaps they arrive and leave too early? But I digress.]

Wind, on the other hand, can be a different matter. This makes sense as, unlike the cold, the wind itself and the subsequent noise it creates will have direct physical effects on sound and singing. That's not to say they won't sing on windy days - and it certainly doesn't mean you won't see them - so don't be too discouraged. With reference to the photo in the Introduction above, I had to persuade David and the rest of the group to persevere in, at times, quite horrible winds and look at the result! We were in the car though, of course.

Anyway, I'm always greatly encouraged when I arrive on site on calm days, which is most of the time, and would expect 100% to hear them.

I think it's true to say that wind is more likely during non-breeding months of the year, although February can be a bitch (he said after having to fish a garden chair out of the swimming pool yesterday!).

Although they will feed, roost and nest in cereal fields, both bustards and sandgrouse prefer the more natural areas that are left fallow.

They form nomadic feeding flocks and, importantly, favour particular fields at particular points in the seasonal cycle of fallow to plough to crop to stubble and back again. Easy if you know where those fields are but easy to miss if you don’t.

Furthermore they utilise these feeding sites until the food resource runs out or a farmer’s plough turns the seed too deep into the ground to reach. They eat seeds and flowers from the ground or directly from the plant but they won't dig for them and so, although some invertebrate animal matter is taken, I always assumed this is the reason I rarely see bustards or sandgrouse on recently ploughed fields.

Of course it's no shock that, having evolved without cover in a treeless habitat, Steppe birds are typified by having cryptic plumage. Even so, it's still surprising just how little vegetation they need in which to hide, particularly out of breeding colours.

In Winter the lack of vegetation can help, although sandgrouse can merge into even a bare rocky background to startling effect. Bear with me and, before reading on, just check out Photo 1.

How quickly did you find the fifth Pin-tailed Sandgrouse?

But it’s less tiring on the eyes in fields where shoots of winter wheat provide a contrast and flocks can be spotted, standing out easily against the uniform green, as with the Black-bellied Sandgrouse in Photo 2. Once the crop has grown over their heads though you may as well focus your attention elsewhere.

For much of the time though, you're left looking in fields that are less uniform. Again, if you can avoid temptation, play along and, before reading on, take a look at the three Pin-tailed Sandgrouse in Photo 3.

O.k. I lied. There's four!

So I can include more photos, I will continue with Little Bustard and Great Bustard below.

Stephen C · Feb 7, 2017

How to find Dupont's Lark, bustards and sandgrouse in the Steppes of Spain [cont]

3. Time of year and its effect on birds' behaviour (cont.)

But bustards, of course, are bigger so they're much easier. Except they're not.

Well, not the Little Bustard anyway. Finding them is a similar story to the sandgrouse, I'm afraid. Even at 50cm tall it often scrapes out a hollow and beds down to disappear (and the incubating female even pulls vegetation over her back!) and so, unless you are party to a bit of local knowledge, it’s often a matter of picking a field and patiently scanning. If the rock moves, ‘scope it!

Great Bustard are twice as tall of course and, although they too have their moments, can usually be picked out without difficulty even at distance (see Photo 1), especially when in post-breeding flocks.

During the post-breeding (Autumn-ish) moult Little Bustards will stay hidden in scrub, grass, clover, rape or cereal stubble, even among old sweet corn stems for instance.

A good place to scan for them though is close to field-boundaries, from where they seldom stray until their feathers, numbers and confidence have grown and they can then be seen strutting about out in the open in larger and larger flocks.

Photo 2 (8 birds in total! Come on, you should be on top of this by now!) and Photo 3, both taken in Winter, as with the sandgrouse, once again show the difference a little Winter wheat can make.

On the whole, as with sandgrouse, the numbers within bustard flocks build through the Autumn to a Winter peak.

But don't be put off if you can't see a flock even when you know you're in the right place because nature is on occasions benevolent. As is the case with many flocking species, the risk to her of every bird being wiped out in a single catastrophe means that not all Little Bustards will sign up to the strategy of flocking. To her an evolutionary safety net is necessary and that means that individuals and pairs will sometimes reveal their alternative tactic to flocking when accidentally flushed even in the peak of winter.

At this time, it’s not unusual for them to expose themselves apparently unprovoked but they don’t usually fly, or walk, beyond scope distance and will return to their roost spot after reassuring themselves that you’re no longer a threat.

The Little Bustard in Photo 4 stood up right next to the car (after we'd been stationary for a couple of minutes!) and casually strolled off and settled down again a few metres away.

And the bird in Photo 5, again after we'd been still for some time, seemed to pop out to say hello before returning to cover.

Finding them in Spring and the rest of the breeding season is a doddle (!), and I refer you back to the section on songs, calls and other noises.

In the next section I'll look at how the time of day might effect the behaviour of Steppe birds.

Stephen C · Feb 7, 2017

Dupont's Lark at El Planeron, Belchite

Martin Bell said:
We didn't have too many problems seeing Dupont's at El Planeron. We pulled up around lunch time. Broke open the sandwiches, a bird popped up onto the top of a bush singing away... It then took to the air, rising high before dropping to the ground... before running across the road ... In total we saw at least 3 birds sitting on the tops of bushes singing.

Ha! Nice one. You got the full set there Martin, bush top singing, song flight and running. And without getting up too early.

Apparently even in the early 1980's the Dupont's Lark was still considered to be an occasional visitor/breeder to Spain from Africa. It turned out that Spain had about half the world's population and, of those, the area around Belchite has the highest densities. So may be it's not such a surprise.

My guess would be that you were there on a calm Spring day?

rosbifs · Feb 7, 2017

On one of my visits I came to an empty plateau not far off the road. I scanned the horizon and field nothing. I drove down side and there was a small flock of pin tailed sandgrouse - my first.hang on there were 40 no 50 no c.400!!!

I could so easily have passed them by. On both late autumn visits they have been in this area....

One word of caution for this are is if it has rained the road get bogged down - the soil runs off the fields...

How to find Dupont's Lark, bustards and sandgrouse in the Steppes of Spain (1 Viewer)

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