Bustard (Kori)

 The Kori Bustard is mostly grey in color, with a black crest on its head and yellow legs. Kori Bustards are often found with bee-eaters riding on their backs as they stride through the grass.

The bee-eaters make the most of their walking perch by hawking insects from the bustard's back that are disturbed by the bustard's wandering.

This is a large and heavy bird, and it avoids flying if possible. It spends most of its time on the ground, foraging for the seeds and lizards which make up most of its diet.

It has no preen gland , which is used by other birds to secrete waterproofing oil, nor does it have a hind toe, which is used for perching in trees. This demonstrates that the Kori bustard is well designed for ground dwelling.

Photographed at Reid Zoo, Tucson, AZ