A Kori Bustard, Ardeotis kori, Africa’s largest native flying bird, photographed in the Savute region of Chobe National Park, northern Botswana, southern Africa.
Kori Bustards have been the National Bird of Botswana since 2014. The birds there are of the nominate kori subspecies which is widely distributed in open areas in southern Africa, as compared to the lighter-coloured struthiunculus race of East Africa. These two subspecies may be split into two full species in the near future.
Despite being able to fly, Kori Bustards are generally ground-dwellers who feed by picking up prey items (small mammals, amphbibians and reptiles, as well as seeds, berries, fruits and birds eggs.
The males, which are about twice the size of the females, display their fitness to breed in leks, when they strut and perform to the females with various stylised poses and postures, including inflating their gular pouches and puffing out the feathers on their necks. Their mating dance is something I’ve yet to see!
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