Ground Hornbill

Description:

Ground-Hornbills are huge prehistoric-appearing birds of open grasslands and savanna in sub-Saharan Africa. Watching a Southern Ground-Hornbill foraging at roadside in Kruger NP, South Africa, or in a Tanzania reserve, is a highlight of any visit. Ground Hornbills live in family groups of between two and eleven birds, comprising a dominant alpha breeding pair, a variable number of juveniles and adult male helpers. The species’ vulnerability is increased due to this social structure, and by the fact that only one out of two or three chicks can fledge. Ground Hornbills are extremely long-lived birds. The dominant pair only breeds on average every 2. 5 years and successful fledglings only occur on average every 9 years.

Habitat:

Ground Hornbills nest high in large trees with sizable cavities and in holes on cliffs. In 80% of clutches, the breeding female lays two eggs and the first egg is laid three to five days before the second. Since incubation commences with the first egg, the chicks hatch 3 to 5 days apart. The older chick may weigh 250g by the time the second hatched chick hatches, at about 60g. The eldest chick always out-competes its younger sibling for food and the younger dies of starvation within a few days from hatching