And now, the cokspur in its natural habitat: the grassy savannah. The cokspur hunts mainly by sight and runs down its chosen victims, keeping pace until a quick swipe of its outer claw knocks the prey of its feet. If that fails, or if attacked, the claw can be rotated forward and applied in a downstroke motion. Neither of these is enough to kill anything but the smallest of animals, but both can disable, allowing the cokspur to dispatch its prey or escape its attacker.

They are diurnal and mostly solitary, but when food is scarce, some have been known to form small packs (no more than 5) to take down larger prey. The leader is the largest and strongest, regardless of sex, and keeps order through posturing and nips. The large killing claws are never used against other cokspur, even in competition for mates.

Females come into season twice a year, and males, responding to scent cues, try to impress them by fanning their tail feathers and neck crests. They also arch their necks and and walk in a slow, exaggerated manner. Sometimes a food offering is included, but it has not been determined whether this puts a male higher in a female's estimation, or is the next step in the courtship process.