Canarian houbara
The Canarian houbara (Chlamydotis undulata fuertaventurae) is a large bird in the bustard family. It is a houbara bustard subspecies which is endemic to the eastern Canary archipelago, in Macaronesia in the North Atlantic Ocean, where it is a scarce and threatened non-migratory resident. It is the animal symbol of the island of Fuerteventura. Taxonomy The Canarian houbara is one of three subspecies of the houbara bustard. Archaeological evidence indicates that it has been present in the Canary Islands for 130–170,000 years. However, genetic data point to a more recent separation of C. u. fuertaventurae from the nominate subspecies around 20–25,000 years ago. It suggests that there was an initial colonisation of the Canary Islands about 130,000 years ago, followed by a second colonisation 19-30 000 years ago, with subsequent isolation until today. Description The Canarian houbara is distinguished from the other two subspecies by its smaller size, less sandy colouring, and darker and more extensive markings on the back. It is the largest bird native to the Canary Islands. Distribution and habitat Houbaras are restricted to the islands of Fuerteventura, Lobos, Lanzarote and Graciosa, though it is uncertain as to whether they continue to exist on Lobos. In the