What the heck is a lek?
Males great bustards perform spectacular courtship displays, gathering at a ‘lek’ or small display ground to try to impress the females.
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If you go up on Walker’s Hill might you hear the Alton Barnes White Horse racing across the hill? One day, back in the 1960s, a woman was walking from Adam’s Grave long barrow to the horse and heard behind her the beat of horse’s hooves – but not just one horse, a whole army of them! There was nothing to see. Is this perhaps where all the Wiltshire white horses go to race?
Males great bustards perform spectacular courtship displays, gathering at a ‘lek’ or small display ground to try to impress the females.
The great bustard has a dignified slow walk but tends to run when disturbed, rather than fly.
The hen-bird on display at The Salisbury Museum was one of the last great bustards to be eaten in the town!