Male kori bustard, Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya

Male kori bustard, Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya

This husky bird is one of the heaviest animals capable of flight and is the largest flying bird native to Africa. Males can weigh up to 40 pounds. Given the heavy load, the kori bustard prefers to travel by foot and is known to be slow and careful as it forages for food. This bird is so large, in fact, that smaller birds like the southern carmine bee-eater are known to perch on its back and catch a free ride. As the bustard meanders through the countryside, the bee-eater will snack on insects encountered along the way.