The red-crested korhaan or red-crested bustard is a species of bird in the family Otididae. It is found in Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Region
Southern Africa
Typical Environment
Occurs patchily across dry savannas and open woodlands in Angola, Namibia, Botswana, South Africa, Eswatini, Mozambique, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Prefers thornveld, mixed bush, and grassy clearings with scattered shrubs or trees. Often found along the edges of tracks, old burns, and termitaria where cover is low. Avoids dense forest and true desert but tolerates lightly grazed rangeland.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1800 m
Climate Zone
Subtropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Also called the red-crested bustard, this small bustard of southern Africa is best known for the male’s dramatic display flight, shooting straight up and then dropping steeply before flaring to land. The reddish crest is usually concealed but can be raised during displays or agitation. It nests on the ground, relying on cryptic plumage for camouflage. Though locally common, it is sensitive to heavy disturbance and very difficult to keep in captivity.
Male red-crested korhaan in Etosha National Park, Namibia
Female red-crested korhaan
Temperament
solitary and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with brief glides; explosive vertical display ascents followed by steep drops
Social Behavior
Usually seen singly or in pairs; males maintain display grounds and are often polygynous. Nests are simple scrapes on the ground with superbly camouflaged females incubating and brooding alone. Chicks are precocial and follow the female soon after hatching.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Male gives a series of sharp, piping whistles and clucks, especially during display. Calls carry well over open savanna and may be accompanied by soft popping notes as the bird descends.
Plumage
Mottled sandy-brown and black upperparts with fine vermiculation and barring; underparts in males show bold darker areas contrasting with paler flanks, females more uniformly mottled for camouflage. Head patterned with buff, grey, and black, and an erectile rufous crest typically kept flattened. Wings show pale panels in flight.
Diet
Eats a mix of invertebrates such as beetles, termites, ants, and grasshoppers, along with seeds, buds, and small berries. Opportunistically takes small vertebrates like tiny lizards when available. Forages by walking methodically and picking items from the ground or low vegetation. Often exploits termite emergences and recently burned patches where prey is exposed.
Preferred Environment
Feeds in short to medium-height grasslands, open thorn scrub, and lightly wooded savanna. Common along track edges, termitaria, and recently burned areas where visibility and prey availability are high.
