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How common are these birds in KNP? We've seen one on the plains just before Nkumbe in 2002. Just after that we saw 2 Rhino off in the veld - some people feel we should actually have spent more time with the Kori which was much closer to the road. What I remember clearly was the funny way it ran, "rocking" its head back and forth! Is that normal for them?

Of all my visits I have only seen this member of the big 6 once!

That was last year August between Phalaborwa and Letaba in the burnt veld. We managed to see 5 of the big 6 on that occasion. The Martial eagle eluded us that time!

They do walk a bit funny. I think it is also the heaviest flying bird in SA. Can someone confirm?
You should have spend more time, GP!

Yeah that's right WTM. I saw one once, near Punda Maria in 2003.

Not only the heaviest flying bird in SA, but according to the Guiness Book of Records the heaviest in the world. I was on a drive once (not in Kruger) and one flew up from the road side, over the vehicle and defecated on one of the girls heads. It was like someone had spilled white-wash on her.

They are fairly common in Kruger, but in more open areas, but Kgalagadi is the place to see them in large numbers.

I've seen one north of Punda Maria last year, and was quite amazed to see this very huge and pretty bird. I didn't even know what kind of bird I was looking at, took me quite a while to figure out what it was (never seen one on the TV either, not like secretary birds or Marabous).

Seen on plains in Kruger - north I think - have photo of Carmine bee-eater riding on ones' back from I think up north..
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I've seen two - both up north near Punda Maria. They're not always easy to see as when they are standing still, they can look a bit like a dead branch (that's a subject for another thread: what's the longest you have looked at a tree-stump or rock through bino's trying to decide if it's an animal or bird? Me? More times than I care to admit!)

After 9 trips to Kruger, I had my first Kori Bustard sighting this year (3 on one trip). 1 spotted close to Nkumbe, another on Gudzani Road, & another on a no-entry road close to Olifants.

I have seen a few in Kruger, but always in the Northern part of the park. The last one was on the road from Phalaborwa to Letaba (and this was the most southern one I saw).

We saw a lot of them in June last year, around Satara area, Sweni road and the Timbevati road

I saw one on last trip near Nwanetsi and a few years ago on Satara\Tshokwane main road. In the former Kalahari Gemsbok, there was a resident pair right outside the camp to greet us every morning - however on our last morning, there was just the one and further on down the road we found the remains of its partner, presumably taken by a jackal or other predator during the night. Very sad, like losing a member of the family (even though he was a real bustard!).

I think they are fairly common in open savanna areas.
Easter we saw 1 on Sweni river road a 1 in Ngotso area.

We saw 2 this year (or possibly the same one twice) around Lower Sabie. First one was on a morning drive and then later the same day we spotted one on our own. Sorry no photos though.

Also in large numbers in Mapungubwe.
Some friends staying with us there but travelling in a different car reported seeing a Kori Bustard on the way into the Limpopo Forest tented camp. My husband and I were quite disappointed as the big bird had eluded us on 2 previous visits to the KNP. We went out for a late afternoon drive without them and saw about 15 of them dotted about an open area of rehabilitating farm land - it was quite a sight!!
I did get a couple of pics but it was into the light so not ideal.

We saw only one.
That was on the H10 from LS to Mlondozi Dam.
Althought the area is burnt we did it in the
grassy patches.