Kori bustard
| Kori Bustard | |
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| Species: | A. kori
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| Binomial name | |
| Ardeotis kori (Burchell, 1822)
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The Kori Bustard (Ardeotis kori) is a large bird native to Africa. It is a member of the bustard family. It may be the heaviest bird capable of flight.
The Kori Bustard is mostly grey in color, with a black crest on its head and yellow legs. Kori Bustards are often found with bee-eaters riding on their backs as they stride through the grass. The bee-eaters make the most of their walking perch by hawking insects from the bustard's back that are disturbed by the bustard's wandering. This is a large and heavy bird, and it avoids flying if possible. It spends most of its time on the ground, foraging for the seeds and lizards which make up most of its diet.
The male Kori Bustard is 120 to 150 cm (3.9 to 4.9 ft), stands 71–120 cm (2.33–3.94 ft) tall and have a wingspan about 230 to 275 cm (7.55 to 9.02 ft). On average male birds weigh between 10.9–16 kg (24–35 lb), averaging 13.5 kg (30 lb) but exceptional birds may weigh up to 20 kg (44 lb). Reports of outsized specimens weighing 23 kg (51 lb), 34 kg (75 lb) and even 40 kg (88 lb) have been reported, but none of these giants have been verified and are not considered reliable. Among bustards, only male Great Bustards acheive similarly high weights , making the male kori bustard and the male great bustard not only two of the largest bustards ,but also two of the worlds heaviest living flying animals. The female Kori Bustard weighs an average of 4.8 to 6.1 kg (11 to 13 lb), with a range of 4.3 to 6.6 kg (9.5 to 14.6 lb). Female length is from 80 to 120 cm (2.6 to 3.9 ft) and they usually stand less than 60 cm (2.0 ft) tall and have a wingspan of less than 220 cm (7.2 ft). Body size is generally greater in the populations of southern Africa and body mass can vary based upon rain conditions.[1][2][3]
Like all bustards, Kori Bustards have polygynous breeding habits, where one male displays to attract several females and mates with them all. He then leaves the females to care for the young by themselves. The females build a nest on the ground and incubate the eggs, foregoing eating for days. When the chicks hatch, the mother brings them a steady stream of food, most of it soft so the chicks can eat it easily.[4]
See also
- Andean Condor- the biggest flying bird alive today
- Sarus Crane - the tallest flying bird alive today
- Wandering Albatross - the largest wingspan among living birds
- Argentavis - the biggest flying bird ever to live
- Bee Hummingbird - smallest bird
References
- ^ Bustard profile (2011).
- ^ Wood, Gerald (1983). The Guinness Book of Animal Facts and Feats. ISBN 978-0-85112-235-9.
- ^ CRC Handbook of Avian Body Masses by John B. Dunning Jr. (Editor). CRC Press (1992), ISBN 978-0849342585.
- ^ Lichtenberg, Elinor M.; Hallager, Sara (2007). "A Description of Commonly Observed Behaviors for the Kori Bustard (Ardeotis Kori)". Journal of Ethology. 26 (1): 17–34. hdl:10088/6028.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
- Template:IUCN2006 Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
External links
- Kori Bustard videos, photos & sounds, The Internet Bird Collection
- [1], Smithsonian National Zoological Park Kori Bustard News
- [2], Smithsonian National Zoological Park Kori Bustard factsheet
- [3] Kori Bustard Species Survival Plan website
