"N" is for Northern Black Korhaan

CCF has carried out a number of camera trapping surveys, and also maintains a network of cameras positioned for ongoing monitoring of the wildlife on our land.  While we are mainly focused on cheetahs, there are many other species out there, and the cameras will trigger no matter what passes them by.  In this series of weekly blog entries, I will use these pictures to illustrate some of the wealth of animal life in Namibia - one species per week.  I hope you will enjoy seeing a little more of our world here in the bush.

When referencing African wildlife, most people automatically think of the mega fauna while the smaller species tend to be forgotten.  So today’s blog will highlight one of these overlooked animals: the Northern Black Korhaan. 

This bird species belongs to the bustard family.  Its key features for identification is its lain black neck, bright yellow legs and red base of the bill.  This species is most commonly solitary.

Males defend their territories from each other by attacking outside males with its wings, causing the other males flying off.  The males mate with multiple females who incubate 1 to 3 eggs and raise the chicks alone.

They are found in Botswana, South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho and Angola where they occur in the nama Karoo, sandveld areas, open savannah and grass covered dunes.  They prefer open grassland and scrub.  The diet of the Northern Black Korhaan consists mainly of insects like termites, beetles and grasshoppers, but it also eats seeds from grass and fruits.  The Northern Black Korhaan is listed on the IUCN Red List as a not threatened species.