Southern Ground-hornbill
Bucorvus leadbeateri
The Southern Ground-hornbill has a strong body covered in black feathers with a patch of red skin around the eyes and on the throat. Females have also have a patch of blue on the throat.
While they can fly, Southern Ground-hornbill tend to patrol their territory on foot; using their strong feet and huge beaks to catch all kinds of prey including insects, snails, frogs, snakes, and rodents. The chicks from previous years remain with the parents and help to raise new chicks.
Conservation
The Southern Ground-hornbill has a slow reproductive rate. This means that its populations cannot recover naturally from human impact. They are sometimes hunted as pests and persecuted as a result of cultural beliefs. On top of this, habitat destruction and deforestation has led to loss of nesting habitat, while widespread grazing has degraded grasslands where it forages.
- Species
- Southern Ground-hornbill
- Length
- 90–100 cm
- Wingspan
- 120 cm
- Weight
- 3.4–6.1 kg
- Eggs
- 1-3
- Range
- Drier areas of Central Africa, from Kenya down to Southern Africa
- Conservation status
- Vulnerable
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