Southern Ground Hornbill

Adults have entirely black plumage with striking bright red bare skin on the face and throat pouch. The bill is large and black. Juveniles have duller, greyish-black plumage, and their facial skin is initially yellowish or dull grey, gradually turning red over several years.

Massive black body, heavy down-curved bill, bright red naked skin around the eyes and throat, and white wing tips visible only during flight.

Length: 90 to 100 cm; Wingspan: up to 180 cm; Weight: 2.2 to 6.2 kg.

Deep, resonant, booming calls that can carry for long distances, often resembling the sound of a distant lion or a steam train.

Carnivorous; feeds on insects, reptiles (including venomous snakes), amphibians, small mammals, and occasionally carrion.

Savannas, open woodlands, and grasslands with large trees for nesting.

Non-migratory resident species.

Nests in natural cavities of large mature trees. Lays a clutch of two eggs, but typically only one chick survives due to asynchrony in hatching and sibling competition.

Abyssinian Ground Hornbill (Bucorvus abyssinicus), which has blue on the throat patch rather than all red and is found further north in Africa.

Acts as an apex predator of small vertebrates in its ecosystem, helping control populations of rodents, snakes, and insects.

Vulnerable, with populations declining due to habitat loss, poisoning, and slow reproductive rates.

Look for them walking slowly in open grasslands and savannas, often in small groups. Listening for their deep, booming calls in the early morning is a great way to locate them.

They are the largest hornbill species in the world and have an extremely slow reproductive rate, raising a single chick only once every three to nine years.