Southern ground hornbill

The southern ground hornbill is the largest hornbill in the world. It is a turkey-sized black bird, 90 to 129 centimetres long, with bare red skin on the face and throat and a heavy, down-curved bill. It spends most of its day walking on the ground in a family group, rather than flying.

It lives in the savannas and woodlands of southern Africa, from Kenya down to South Africa, including Kruger National Park. It is a carnivore that catches insects, frogs, small snakes and other small animals. The IUCN lists it as Vulnerable. Its nest is often high in a tree hole or in a rock cavity in a cliff.

A very long life and a slow family

Ground hornbills may live 50 to 60 years, and up to 70 in captivity. They grow up slowly: they are not adults until about 4 to 6 years old, and often start to breed at around 10.

You can tell males from females by the throat. In a male it is pure red, and in a female it is deep violet-blue.

A bird in trouble

In Kruger National Park, the ground hornbill is one of the Big Six birds visitors hope to see. It also matters in many local cultures.

Numbers are falling because of persecution, habitat loss and cultural beliefs. It is classed as Endangered in South Africa, Lesotho, Namibia and Eswatini, and as Vulnerable worldwide. Lasting protection needs both wild land and the support of local people.

On the globe

The globe places the southern ground hornbill in the savannas and grasslands of southern Africa, such as Kruger National Park. Look for the red face.