Kori Bustard Husbandry Manual - Gruiformes

Kori Bustard Husbandry Manual – Section 1. Natural History
was first noticed in the 1920's (Irwin 1981). Total population size has
been variously reported in 1980, when an estimation of 10,700 birds was
given by Rockingham-Gill (1983), although Dale (1990) reported 5000
birds and Mundy (1989) estimated 2000 birds and states that
Rockingham-Gill's 1983 estimate is vastly over estimated. Total
population size is unknown. Matabeleland is the stronghold for the
species in Zimbabwe (Rockingham-Gill 1983).
South Africa Numbers have declined in the 20 th century, but the extent of the decline
is unknown (Brooke, 1984). Kruger National Park supports 100-250
individuals (Barnes, 2000). Outside protected areas, kori bustards are
found in relatively large numbers only in the Platberg-Karoo
Conservancy in South Africa (Barnes, 2000). Allan (1988) reported that
the species has declined in the Transvaal, Orange Free State (where it is
uncommon to rare) and in parts of Cape Province. Total population size
is estimated to be between 2000-5000 birds.
Mozambique It is locally threatened and probably numbers less than 100 birds (Parker
1999). Hunting is the biggest threat.
Other Parker (1994) noted that this subspecies went extinct in Swaziland prior
to 1960. In Angola, the species is a rare visitor. In Zambia, kori
bustards are found only west of the Zambezi River although their status
there is unclear. The Sioma Ngwezi National Park may offer protection.
It is considered very sparse in Natal with one sighting reported in 1976
(Cyrus and Robson 1980).
4.4 Conservation Status
Kori bustards are listed on Appendix II of CITES. The southern race Ardeotis
kori kori is listed as Vulnerable in the South African Red Data Book (Brooke 1984) as
well as the Eskom Red Data Book of Birds of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland
(Barnes 2000).
4.5 Threats to survival
The main threats to kori bustards in the form of human-induced factors include
habitat destruction through increasing agricultural development (Dale 1990; Ottichilo
2001) and bush encroachment caused by over-grazing from livestock. Poison used to
control locusts is toxic to birds and may possibly be affecting kori bustard populations
(Barnes 2000). Although the kori bustard is listed as “protected game” it continues to be
hunted over much of its range. In Namibia, it is commonly referred to as the “Christmas
turkey” (Osborne 2001) and in South Africa it is called the “Kalahari Kentucky” (Barnes
2000). Collisions with overhead power lines are a serious problem as exemplified by one
10-km stretch of overhead powerlines in the Karoo that killed 22 kori bustards during a
five-month period (Van Rooyen 2000).
Natural factors affecting the species include an inherent low reproductive rate,
and reduced breeding activity in dry years with predation pressure a constant. In
addition, favored areas such as tree-lined watercourses are becoming unsuitable for kori
bustards because they are being invaded by alien plant material (Barnes 2000).
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