The bird is normally found in Iberia and Russia

The bustard is the heaviest flying bird in the world and disappeared from the UK countryside in the 1870s.

The great bustard group was set up by enthusiasts in South Wiltshire five years ago to reintroduce the rare bird.

In 2003, the group applied for a government licence to import chicks from Russia, a licence now granted by Defra Minister Ben Bradshaw.

A total of 50 chicks will be reintroduced to Salisbury Plain every year for the next ten years, with the first batch due to arrive next June.

The great bustard is normally found in Russia and Iberia, and ornithological experts from Russia recently visited the UK to advise the project.