Introduction
The male kori bustard is the largest flying bird native to Africa and is a member of the bustard family, which all belong to the order Otidiformes and are restricted in distribution to the Old World. It is cryptically colored, being mostly gray and brown, finely patterned with black and white coloring. The upper parts and neck are a vermiculated black and grayish-buff color. The ventral plumage is more boldly colored, with white, black, and buff. The crest on its head is blackish in coloration, with less black on the female’s crest. There is a white eye stripe above the eye. The chin, throat, and neck are whitish with thin, fine black barring. A black collar at the base of the hind-neck extends onto the sides of the breast. The feathers around the neck are loose, giving the appearance of a thicker neck than they really have. The belly is white, and the tail has broad bands of brownish-gray and white coloration. The head is large, and the legs are relatively long. The eye is pale yellow, while the bill is light greenish horn-colored, relatively long, straight, and rather flattened at the base .
Physical Appearance
The male kori bustard is the largest flying bird native to Africa and is a member of the bustard family, which all belong to the order Otidiformes and are restricted in distribution to the Old World . It is cryptically colored, being mostly gray and brown, finely patterned with black and white coloring. The upper parts and neck are a vermiculated black and grayish-buff color. The ventral plumage is more boldly colored, with white, black, and buff. The crest on its head is blackish in coloration, with less black on the female’s crest. There is a white eye stripe above the eye. The chin, throat, and neck are whitish with thin, fine black barring. A black collar at the base of the hind-neck extends onto the sides of the breast. The feathers around the neck are loose, giving the appearance of a thicker neck than they really have. The belly is white, and the tail has broad bands of brownish-gray and white coloration. The head is large, and the legs are relatively long. The eye is pale yellow, while the bill is light greenish horn-colored, relatively long, straight, and rather flattened at the base .
Breeding Habits
Male kori bustards have a polygynous mating system, where each male mates with a number of females . During the breeding season, which lasts from the middle of March to August, males gather into special groups called “leks” and perform displays in the mornings and evenings to attract receptive females . Mating lasts no more than a few seconds, and once the male has passed, he moves away and reappears to attract another female . Male kori bustards, which can be more than twice as heavy as the female, attempt to breed with as many females as possible and then take no part in the raising of the young
Habitat and Distribution
The male kori bustard is the largest flying bird native to Africa and is a member of the bustard family, which all belong to the order Otidiformes and are restricted in distribution to the Old World . The kori bustards are African birds, living within two separate areas of distribution. These are: the southwest of the continent, near the Horn of Africa, covering parts of Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania; and the other one in the far south, stretching across all of Botswana and Namibia, some parts of Zimbabwe, and reaching South Africa . The ideal environment for this bird is areas with short grass and dry, sandy soil. Kori bustards are found in savannahs, grasslands and scrublands .
Diet and Feeding Habits
The male kori bustard is an omnivore, consuming food of both animal and plant origin . These birds primarily feed upon meat, using insects, small species of mammal, reptiles as well as other birds . They supplement their diet with seeds, berries and, occasionally, gum of the Acacia tree . Insects form a large portion of their diet, especially when they are chicks . They have also been observed eating carrion .
Conservation Status
The male kori bustard has a conservation status of Near Threatened as of June 2015 . The population trend is decreasing, and the species faces threats including illegal or unregulated trade and hunting, loss of habitat, and fatal collisions with power structures .
Conclusion
The male kori bustard is the largest flying bird native to Africa and is a member of the bustard family, which all belong to the order Otidiformes and are restricted in distribution to the Old World. It is cryptically colored, being mostly gray and brown, finely patterned with black and white coloring. The upper parts and neck are a vermiculated black and grayish-buff color. The ventral plumage is more boldly colored, with white, black, and buff. The crest on its head is blackish in coloration, with less black on the female’s crest. There is a white eye stripe above the eye. The chin, throat, and neck are whitish with thin, fine black barring. A black collar at the base of the hind-neck extends onto the sides of the breast. The feathers around the neck are loose, giving the appearance of a thicker neck than they really have. The belly is white, and the tail has broad bands of brownish-gray and white coloration. The head is large, and the legs are relatively long. The eye is pale yellow, while the bill is light greenish horn-colored, relatively long, straight, and rather flattened at the base.
Male kori bustards have a polygynous mating system, where each male mates with a number of females. During the breeding season, males gather into special groups called “leks” and perform displays in the mornings and evenings to attract receptive females. Male kori bustards, which can be more than twice as heavy as the female, attempt to breed with as many females as possible and then take no part in the raising of the young.
The male kori bustard is an omnivore, consuming food of both animal and plant origin. These birds primarily feed upon meat, using insects, small species of mammal, reptiles as well as other birds. They supplement their diet with seeds, berries and, occasionally, gum of the Acacia tree. Insects form a large portion of their diet, especially when they are chicks. They have also been observed eating carrion.
The male kori bustard has a conservation status of Near Threatened as of June 2015. The population trend is decreasing, and the species faces threats including illegal or unregulated trade and hunting, loss of habitat, and fatal collisions with power structures.