As I mentioned in a previous entry, imperialism is still alive in Spain. Today let´s discuss the nobility beneath that upper echelon. In my mind one of the most noble birds of the steppe has to be the Great Bustard. It´s always dressed like it´s going to an Indian dinner party during the days of the Raj. Of course those feathers were probably used in those times too.
Spain has the largest population of these, the heaviest flying birds, in the world. And they are huge. All that were in this group of 22 were males. Well being Spanish, it´s probably a bunch of the guys out for an evening stroll before playing some mus or a caña. However, they are listed as threatened and, as in the case of the Calatravan bustards, the reason is of course habitat loss. These birds are quite shy and really don´t like to be near people and require wide open steppe. In this region there was uproar over the new airport about 7km west of where these were. Right in the middle of bustard country.
Well I think the bustard is kind of having the last, or at least the latest laugh, since the airport is broke, has 4 or so flights a week to Barcelona and 2 or 3 to Paris. The bustard may look like a big turkey, but the airport is the White Elephant. You can´t kill nobility around here I hope.
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