Ardeotis kori
The Kori Bustard, Ardeotis kori, holds the prestigious title of the heaviest flying bird native to Africa, with males often exceeding 18 kg (40 lbs) and standing over 1 meter (3.3 feet) tall, while females are considerably smaller at around 5-7 kg (11-15 lbs). Its striking appearance is characterized by cryptic brownish-grey plumage mottled with black, a distinctive black crest atop its head, a white eyebrow stripe, and a prominent black and white neck pattern. Males feature a more robust bui...
Kori Bustards primarily inhabit open grasslands, savannas, and arid semi-desert regions, often with scattered trees or shrubs. They are typically found at low to mid-elevations across their African range.
Kori Bustards are opportunistic omnivores, primarily consuming a wide range of insects (especially locusts, beetles, and grasshoppers), small vertebrates like lizards, snakes, and rodents, and also seeds, berries, and green plant matter. They forage by walking slowly and picking items from the gr...
Kori Bustards are largely diurnal, spending their days foraging and typically roosting on the ground in open areas at night, relying on their camouflage. Their foraging strategy involves a slow, deliberate walk, scanning the ground for prey, which they then snatch with a quick movement of their p...
The Kori Bustard has a disjunct distribution across sub-Saharan Africa, generally divided into two main populations and subspecies. The southern subspecies, *Ardeotis kori kori*, is found from southeastern Angola, northern Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. The eastern subspecies, *Ar...
Near Threatened
- The Kori Bustard is widely recognized as the heaviest flying animal on Earth, with males weighing up to 18-19 kg (40-42 lbs). - During their spectacular courtship display, male Kori Bustards can puff up their neck feathers so much that they appear to double or even triple in size. - They have a...