| Red-crested korhaan | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Otidiformes |
| Family: | Otididae |
| Genus: | Lophotis |
| Species: | L. ruficrista |
| Binomial name | |
| Lophotis ruficrista (Smith, 1836) | |
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Range of Lophotis ruficrista | |
The red-crested korhaan or red-crested bustard (Lophotis ruficrista) is a species of bird in the family Otididae. It is found in Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. [1]
The red-crested korhaan grows up to 50 cm (1.6 ft) in length with a maximal weight of 680 g (1.5 lb). [3] The feathering of the wings folded on the back is marked by V-formed patterns of a light cream color with some white at the sides. Breast feathers are black. Legs are pale yellow and feet gray.
One syntype specimen of Otis ruficrista Smith (Rep. Exped. Centr. Afr., 1836, p.56.) is held in the collections of National Museums Liverpool at World Museum, with accession number D56 (male adult). The specimen was collected in the “Country between Latakoo and the Tropic of Capricorn”, South Africa by Andrew Smith. [4] The specimen was purchased at the sale of Smith’s South Africa Museum (Lot 89, 6 June 1838) and came to the Liverpool national collection via the 13th Earl of Derby’s collection which was bequeathed to the people of Liverpool in 1851. [4] There is a further syntype specimen in the bird collection at the Natural History Museum at Tring.
The male has gray-blue head feathering with an area of reddish feathers on the nape. When males attract females, the feathers of their vertex rise to form a crest and those of the throat and neck swell. The females and the immatures have brown rather than gray head feathers.
The red-crested korhaan inhabits diverse environments: dry savanna, bushveld, thorny scrubland, but sometimes also wet woodland. It is a sedentary rather than migratory bird.
The red-crested korhaan has a very distinct call. See The call of the red-crested korhaan.
The male attracts females by flying high into the air and dropping down. This behavior has given the red-crested korhaan the nickname suicide bird. Females choose the male who gets closest to the ground without injury. [5] Nests are placed on the ground sheltered by grass or bush. The brood comprises two eggs coloured from olive-brown to pink-beige with dark brown spots. Chicks leave the nest within a few days of hatching to follow the mother. Emancipation occurs after four to five weeks of breeding, but the young remain with their mother for several more months. [3]
The Himalayan quail or mountain quail, is a medium-sized quail belonging to the pheasant family. It was last reported in 1876 and is feared extinct. This species was known from only 2 locations in the western Himalayas in Uttarakhand, north-west India. The last verifiable record was in 1876 near the hill station of Mussoorie.
The kori bustard is the largest flying bird native to Africa. It is a member of the bustard family, which all belong to the order Otidiformes and are restricted in distribution to the Old World. It is one of the four species in the large-bodied genus Ardeotis. In fact, the male kori bustard may be the heaviest living animal capable of flight.
The southern pochard is a species of duck, and a member of the genus Netta. There are two subspecies, the South American (southern) pochard N. e. erythrophthalma and the African (southern) pochard N. e. brunnea.
The Australian bustard is a large ground-dwelling bird that is common in grassland, woodland and open agricultural country across northern Australia and southern New Guinea. It stands at about one metre high, and its wingspan is around twice that length. The species is nomadic, flying to areas when food becomes plentiful, and capable of travelling long distances. They were once widespread and common to the open plains of Australia, but became rare in regions that have been used for farming. The bustard is omnivorous, mostly consuming the fruit or seed of plants, but also eating invertebrates such as crickets, grasshoppers, smaller mammals, birds and reptiles.
The black-winged lovebird also known as Abyssinian lovebird is a mainly green bird of the parrot family. At about 16.5 cm (6.5 inches) long, it is the largest of the lovebird genus, a group of small parrots. The adult male is easily identified by its red forehead, and the adult female by its all-green head. They are native to Eritrea and Ethiopia, and they are uncommon as pets.
Denham's bustard, Stanley bustard or Stanley's bustard is a large bird in the bustard family. It breeds in much of Sub-Saharan Africa. It is a species of open ground, including agricultural land, grassland, flood-plains and burnt fynbos. It is resident, but some inland populations move to lower altitudes in winter. The common names for this species refer to the English explorer, Major Dixon Denham, and the English naturalist Edward Smith-Stanley, 13th Earl of Derby.
The Vanuatu megapode or Vanuatu scrubfowl is a species of bird in the family Megapodiidae. It was formerly known as the New Hebrides scrubfowl. It is found only in Vanuatu. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest. The species is threatened by habitat loss and egg collecting.
The flock bronzewing, also known as the flock pigeon, harlequin bronzewing and the harlequin pigeon is a species of pigeon in the family Columbidae. It is endemic to drier parts of Australia.
The striped kingfisher is a species of bird in the tree kingfisher subfamily. It was first described by Edward, Lord Stanley, in Salt's Voyage to Abyssinia in 1814 as "Chelicut kingfisher" Alaudo Chelicuti.
The southern black korhaan, also known as the black bustard, is a species of bird in the bustard family, Otididae. This small bustard is found in southwestern South Africa, from Namaqualand, south to Cape Town and east to Makhanda. It prefers semi-arid habitats such as grasslands, shrublands and savannas where it can easily prey on ground-dwelling arthropods and eat seeds. It reproduces yearly in the spring and will lay about one or two eggs per breeding season.
Eupodotis is a genus of bird in the bustard family Otididae. It contains two species, all restricted to Africa. Species in the genera Afrotis and Lophotis are sometimes included in this genus; however some authorities separate the Karoo korhaan, Rüpell's Korhaan and little brown bustard as a separate genus Heterotetrax.
The northern black korhaan, also known as the white-quilled bustard, is a species of bird in the bustard family, Otididae. It is widely distributed across Southern Africa. Its habitat is primarily open grassland and scrub.
The blue korhaan or blue bustard is a species of bird in the family Otididae which is native to South Africa. Its call is a series of frog-like croaks, usually uttered in flight. Its natural habitat is plateau grassland, dry shrubland, arable land and pastureland. Its preferred habitat is one with short grassland and flat topography.
The buff-crested bustard is a medium-sized bird of East Africa; Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya belonging to the family Otididae. The populations are stable and the species is of least concern.
The black-bellied bustard, also known as the black-bellied korhaan, is an African ground-dwelling bird in the bustard family.
Rüppell's korhaan, also known as Rüppell's bustard, is a species of bird in the family Otididae. The species is represented by a small bustard, only 60 cm long. The head and neck are grey, with black stripes down the throat, through the eye, and on the sides of the neck, and white cheeks. The body is sandy brown above, and white below. The legs are sandy yellow-brown. Rüppell's korhaan received its name to recognize Wilhelm Rüppell, a German explorer, collector and naturalist. It is native to southwestern Africa in Angola and Namibia, according to Collar, N. J. - "The bustards and their conservation." Bustard in Decline, Jaipur (1982): 244–255. It is one of 13 native bird species found in the western part of Namibia. Normally they inhabit areas with low rainfall such as deserts, plains, and savannahs, where their exceptionally well developed senses play a major role in their survival and safety. They are most likely to be found in the Namibrand Nature Reserve, at Mirabib and Ganab in the Namib-Naukluft Park, at Bloedkoppie, and in the Spitzkoppe surroundings.
Savile's bustard is a species of bird in the family Otididae. Otididae are an Old-World and understudied family of birds mostly found in Afro-Tropical regions. It is found in Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Ivory Coast, Gambia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, and Sudan.
The white-bellied bustard or white-bellied korhaan is an African species of bustard. It is widespread in sub-Saharan Africa in grassland and open woodland habitats. Despite its wide distribution and easily identifiable characteristics, very few studies have been conducted on this species and little is known about its life history and behavior.
The karoo korhaan, also known as karoo bustard, is a species of bird in the bustard family, Otididae, from Southern Africa. There are two subspecies, the nominate race, from south-eastern South Africa, and H. v. namaqua, from north-western South Africa and southern Namibia.
The Maghreb lark is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae found in the Maghreb desert of north-western Africa.
