A Kori Bustard on the prowl in the Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania.
The Big Bird’s Diet
The Kori Bustard (Ardeotis kori) is famous for its massive size. A large adult male can weigh up to 40 pounds, making it Africa’s heaviest flying bird. For more on its amazing girth, see our post, “The Kori Bustard is a Bruiser.”
But our question here isn't about size. It is about a dietary habit.
Kori Bustards are opportunistic omnivores. They eat everything from snakes and lizards to grasshoppers and insects. However, their most fascinating hunting ground is the bark of acacia trees.
Acacia trees ooze a thick, sticky sap that hardens into brittle gum. This gooey substance acts as a natural flypaper, trapping unsuspecting ants, beetles, and flies. The insects become perfectly preserved snacks, glued fast to the tree.
Foraging for Fossilized Prey
This is where the Kori Bustard swoops in. The bird does not necessarily seek the tree sap itself. Instead, it targets the helpless insects permanently stuck inside the goo.
The bustard uses its strong, sharp beak to tear at the bark. It pries out the insect-laden chunks of gum like an archaeologist. This unique habit of harvesting trapped prey sets them apart from almost any other bird on the continent.
Africa’s “Gum Peacock”
This predatory preference is so defining that it shaped the bird's identity in local memory. In the Afrikaans language, the Kori Bustard is called gompou.
This vivid label translates directly to “gum peacock.” The name beautifully connects their strut with their relentless search for sticky gum bug traps.
For more on the Kori Bustard see our post, “Meet the Heaviest Flying Bird in Africa.”
Bible Land Explorers are headed back to Tanzania June 3-13, 2027. Lake Victoria, the Serengeti, and Ngorongoro Crater are on our agenda as we photo-hunt big cats, small birds, and everything in-between. See the link here for brochure and reservation forms, or contact us at BibleLandExplorer@gmail.com.