The great bustard BACK FROM THE BRINK…

The world’s heaviest flying bird, the great bustard, was hunted to extinction in the UK in 1832. However, thanks to a 15-year project, this behemoth, which can stand up to a metre tall, has almost reached self-sustaining numbers once more in its traditional home of Wiltshire. The Great Bustard Group (GBG) released hundreds of birds, from imported Spanish chicks, onto Salisbury Plain, and it’s now estimated that the population is up to some 100 birds in the area – some of which you can watch from the visitors’ hide (greatbustard.org).