Rüppell's korhaan, also known as Rüppell's bustard, is a species of bird in the family Otididae. It is named to recognize Wilhelm Rüppell, a German explorer, collector, and naturalist.
Region
Southwest Africa
Typical Environment
It occurs chiefly in Namibia and southwestern Angola, favoring the gravel plains, stony deserts, and dune margins of the Namib and adjoining arid zones. The bird uses open, sparsely vegetated habitats with scattered shrubs and grasses, often near dry riverbeds. It avoids dense vegetation and prefers expansive vistas where it can detect threats. During very hot periods it seeks shade under low bushes. After rains, it may range more widely to exploit temporary food flushes.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1600 m
Climate Zone
Arid
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Rüppell's korhaan, also called Rüppell's bustard, is a small desert bustard of southwestern Africa named after the German naturalist Wilhelm Rüppell. It is highly adapted to arid landscapes, relying on camouflage and short bursts of running to evade predators. The species is generally shy and most active during cooler parts of the day. Disturbance from vehicles and habitat degradation can locally affect its numbers.
Temperament
solitary and wary
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with low glides
Social Behavior
Usually solitary or in pairs, especially during the breeding season. Males display on open ground with upright postures and vocalizations to attract females. Nests are simple scrapes on the ground where the female incubates and tends the young. Chicks are precocial and rely on camouflage to avoid detection.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
The call is a gruff, barking or croaking series that carries in open country, often delivered at dawn and dusk. Display calls are louder and repeated, serving both territorial and mate-attraction functions.
Plumage
Sandy-brown to buff upperparts with fine mottling and vermiculations, blending well with desert substrates. The neck is paler grayish-buff and the underparts are light, sometimes slightly buffy. In flight, contrasting pale wing panels are visible against darker primaries.
Diet
It feeds opportunistically on insects such as beetles, termites, and grasshoppers, as well as spiders and other small invertebrates. It also takes seeds, tender shoots, and bulbs when available. Occasionally it may consume small vertebrates like tiny lizards. Diet composition shifts seasonally, with more plant matter taken in dry periods and more invertebrates after rains.
Preferred Environment
Forages on open gravel and stony plains, along sparsely vegetated dunes, and in dry riverbeds. It walks slowly, picking items from the ground and probing lightly around shrubs. It may exploit areas near herbivore dung where insects concentrate.
