Afrotis afra (Linnaeus, 1758)

Taxonomic Identification

The southern black korhaan, scientifically named Afrotis afra (Linnaeus, 1758), is a ground-dwelling bird that shows sexual dimorphism.

Male Plumage

Males have a main checkered black-and-white body plumage, paired with a black underbelly and black neck. They also have white markings on the underwings, cheeks, and in stripes above the eyes.

Female Plumage

In contrast, females have checkered brown-and-white body plumage, with the entire head, neck, and breast matching the body color.

Shared Morphological Traits

Both males and females have bright yellow legs.

Size Dimorphism

Males are slightly larger than females.

Wingspan

Males have a wingspan ranging from 27 cm (10.6 in) to 28 cm (11.0 in), while females have a wingspan of 25 cm (9.8 in) to 26 cm (10.2 in).

Tail Length

The tail of this species is between 12 cm (4.7 in) and 13 cm (5.1 in) long.

Bill Characteristics

Males have a larger bill, measuring 3.8 cm to 3.9 cm (1.5 in), while females have a bill that is approximately 3.5 cm (1.4 in) long. The bill is reddish with a black tip.

Lifespan

The average lifespan of the southern black korhaan is 10 years.

Geographic Range

This species is endemic to southwestern South Africa, with a range extending from Namaqualand south to Cape Town, and east to Makhanda, covering an area of approximately 254,000 km² (98,000 sq mi).

Habitat Preferences

It prefers open, semi-arid habitats including shrublands and savannahs that allow easy access to grass-dwelling arthropod prey, and also occurs in grasslands adjacent to marshland.