Kori bustard

Introduction: Kori bustards (Ardeotis kori) frequent fairly dry, open savannah, some grassland areas and shrublands with water that can provide some shade and cover when disturbed. Common in sandy soil associated with Kalahari Desert. They are usually observed singly or in groups.

Distribution: Common throughout Namibia especially the waterholes of Etosha National Park. Can be observed in the Namib Desert.

Diet: Feeds by walking and pecking on the ground or in trees and low bushes. Eats locusts, caterpillars, grasshoppers, beetles, termites, scorpions, snakes, birds' eggs, lizards and chameleons, small rodents and carrion. Will also take seeds, berries bulbs and flowers.

Description: Very large bustards with crested heads. They have black bellies and their rufous crests are only visible 'on display'. Kori is taken from the Tswana name for the bird 'Kgôri'. Ardeotis is Greek for 'heron bustard'.

Breeding: Females lay 1 or 2 eggs in a shallow, unlined scrape in the ground. Incubation period is 24 days. Chicks are prey of leopards, Black-backed jackals, warthogs and chacma baboon.

Size: 1.5m.

Weight: 12kg.

Wingspan: 2.5m. Males are bigger than females