Heaviest Flying Birds

The Kori Bustard (Ardeotis kori) is a large bird native to Africa. It is a member of the bustard family. It is one of the four species (ranging from Africa to India to Australia) in the large-bodied Ardeotis genus. In fact, the male


Kori Bustard may be the heaviest living animal capable of flight. This species, like most bustards, is a ground-dwelling bird and an opportunistic omnivore. Male Kori Bustards, which can be more than twice as heavy than the female, attempt to breed with as many females as possible and then take no part in the raising of the young. The nest is a shallow hallow into the earth, often disguised by nearby obstructive objects such as trees. The specific epithet kori is derived from the Tswana name for this bird - Kgori.


Kori Bustards spend most of their time on the ground, with up to 70% of their time being on foot. Although, they can forage occasionally in low bushes and trees. There is a lone report of a bird sighted in Kenya perched at the top of a tree.


Walking slowly and sedately, they forage by picking at the ground with the bills and are most active in the first and last hours of daylight. Kori Bustards are quite omnivorous birds. Insects are an important food source, with common species such as locusts, grasshoppers, dung beetles (Scarabaeusssp.) and caterpillars being most often taken. They may follow large ungulates directly to catch insects flushed by them or to pick through their dung for edible invertebrates.