Kori Bustard Species Profile: Africa's Heaviest Flying Bird

A kori bustard striding across the plains looks like something between a turkey and a small ostrich, with a crested head, a long neck and a measured, deliberate gait. It is a bird of dry grassland and thorn country, and one of the great sights of the Serengeti, Mara and Amboseli plains.

This profile explains how to identify it, how males display, what the bird eats and how it breeds, and where to find it. For related ground birds see the secretary bird and ostrich profiles.

This guide is part of our animals of Uganda and East Africa guide. When you are ready to plan, see our Uganda safari packages or the Ameera Africa Safaris Uganda tours homepage.

Identification

The kori bustard stands about a metre tall, with long legs, a long neck and a black crest that can be raised when the bird is excited. The upperparts are finely patterned grey-brown, the underparts are white, and the neck has delicate black and white barring that gives a soft grey appearance at a distance. Males are much larger than females and can weigh several times as much. The bird looks heavy, and it is. Its flight is powerful but laboured, and it usually takes off only when seriously threatened, preferring to run or walk away with its head up.

Habitat and Range

Koris live in open grassland, lightly wooded savanna and semi-arid scrub, particularly where the grass is short and visibility is good. They avoid dense bush. The eastern African population ranges through Kenya and Tanzania and into northern Uganda, with a separate southern population in southern Africa. In practical terms, the plains of the Serengeti, the Masai Mara and Amboseli are reliable, and in Uganda the dry grasslands of Kidepo Valley are the place to look.

The Courtship Display

In the breeding season, males perform one of the more theatrical displays among African birds. The male inflates his throat sac until the neck looks swollen, fans and cocks his tail over his back, drops his wings and struts, giving a low booming call. The effect is like a huge, living powder puff. Females watch and choose, and the males that perform best attract the most mates. Males take no part in rearing the young. This display is best seen early in the rains, and a guide will point out males that are performing.

Diet and Feeding

Kori bustards are omnivores. They walk steadily across the plains, picking up insects such as grasshoppers and beetles, lizards, small snakes, rodents, seeds and the occasional carrion. They also eat gum from acacia trees, which gave them their old nickname of gom paauw in Afrikaans. They need little drinking water when moist food is available. Bustards will follow grass fires and herds of grazing animals to take advantage of the insects flushed out by the movement.

Nesting and Breeding

The female lays her one or two eggs in a bare scrape on the ground, often beside a bush or tuft of grass, and relies on camouflage for protection. She incubates the eggs alone, and the chicks leave the nest soon after hatching, following her and feeding on insects while she watches for danger. Because the nest is on the ground, it is vulnerable to predators, fire and trampling. Productivity is low, which means that populations recover slowly from losses.

Threats and Conservation

The kori bustard is considered near threatened globally. Hunting, habitat conversion to farmland, overgrazing, power-line collisions and disturbance at nests have caused declines in many areas, and in some regions it is hunted for food. Protected areas in northern Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda still hold healthy populations, and large open plains are essential for long-term survival. Respect for the bird's space and keeping vehicles on tracks help to reduce disturbance during the breeding season. For wider principles, see responsible and conservation travel.

Photography and Related Species

Look for the kori bustard in the early morning when the grass is damp and the birds are active. Stop the vehicle at a distance and let the bird approach, as pushing closer usually makes it walk away. A long lens captures the barred neck and the display. Other open-country birds to look for include the lilac-breasted roller and the birds covered in the East Africa birding guide, and safari photography tips will help with exposure on pale backgrounds.

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