Artificial incubation and growth observation for the nestlings of Great Bustard (Otis tarda)

Growth indicators including weight, body length, wings length, tail length, tarsus, gape, the third toe and head width of 21 nestlings of Great Bustard (Otis tarda) were measured and investigated in Harbin Zoo, Harbin, China during 1999–2002, and methods on successfully fostering nestlings of the bird were also summarized in this article. The results showed: the Great Bustard is a kind of premature bird and its birth weight was 86.31 ±3.56g (N=21); environmental temperature for the neonatal nestlings should be controlled at 36°C; the feeding principle “having many meals but little food at each” for the nestlings should be followed; since six weeks after birth, nestlings of both gender began to show significant difference in body weight, the weight of male was 1.8 times of that of the female after fourteenth week, and by weight and body figure sexual identity could be easily discerned when 3 or 4 months old; There is no significant difference in growth and development of all organs between male and female nestlings and organ growth curves were fit into Logistic equation.