Southern Ground Hornbill

Bucorvus leadbeateri

Animal Class: Birds

Height: 3 feet

Weight: 7 to 10 lbs.

Wingspan: 4 to 6 feet

Life Span: 30-40 years in the wild

Diet: Wild: Omnivorous: small animals, insects, invertebrates, snakes, fruit, may scavenge in addition to killing prey by stabbing with its powerful bill.

Habitat: African ground hornbills live in the open, short grasslands and savanna in equatorial East and South Africa. They can be found in family groups of 8 to 12 that defend large territories.

Mostly black with white primary wing feathers seen in flight; brilliant red facial patches and wattles; females have violet-blue patch under the chin; notably long eyelashes; yellow eyes; stubby legs and toes that are partly fused; large, curved bill with knobby casque; slow, stately walking gait. Their neck wattles can be inflated to produce a booming call heard most often before dawn.

Our Animals: Timmy, Jenny, and Seymore