Black-bellied Bustard

Common resident. Characterised by long legs (proportionately longer than any other korhaan). Male in flight shows white upper wings. The underwings are black except for a prominent white patch at the base of the primaries. Male has entirely black underparts, extending in a line up the front of the neck to the chin. Female has white underparts cf. female White-bellied Bustard. Male calls while posturing as follows: the head and neck are withdrawn and wings drooped (a); the head and neck are then fully stretched upwards while the bird utters a dull ‘waak’ or ‘phwoe’ (b); the head is then lowered about halfway to the body and the bird utters a throaty grunt followed by a five-second pause; then it utters a sharp, whip-like sound ‘ooor-whip’. During courtship the male performs an aerial display in which the white upper wings are strikingly presented. Found singly or in pairs in rank, moist grassland.