Seasonal habitat use of the West-Pannonian great bustard (Otis tarda): insights from seven years of conservation practice in Central European agro-steppe habitats

• Ecological Niche Factor Analysis (ENFA) provides robust insights into seasonal habitat selection. • Long-term monitoring identifies key habitats and seasonal resource shifts critical for species persistence. • Complementary use of temporary crops and habitat heterogeneity supports breeding and foraging across seasons. • Evidence-based, targeted farmland management enhances the conservation of threatened species in intensively cultivated landscapes. The great bustard ( Otis tarda ) is a globally threatened farmland bird with variable population trends across Europe. While many populations are declining, the West-Pannonian population has increased, providing an opportunity to investigate species persistence in intensively cultivated landscapes. We examined seasonal habitat use of this population using Ecological Niche Factor Analysis (ENFA) on a seven-year dataset of systematic observations—the first ENFA application for the West-Pannonian great bustard population. This methodological framework allowed us to identify key ecological factors driving habitat selection, assess interannual consistency, and explore sex-specific differences. Our results indicate that agri-environmental scheme (AES) supported fallows and winter rapeseed are consistently selected and function as critical seasonal resources, whereas other habitat types are used only during certain periods of the season, but remain essential within the agricultural mosaic. Habitat preferences were largely similar between males and females, with minor seasonal differences. By linking habitat selection to measurable land-use features, our study provides a robust, evidence-based framework for guiding conservation management of great bustards. These findings demonstrate how targeted agri-environmental interventions can enhance habitat suitability and persistence of threatened farmland species, offering practical guidance for spatial planning and conservation strategies grounded in empirical habitat-use data.