Bird Fact #2 - Turkey or Buzzard?

Often called the Turkey-Buzzard, the Ground Hornbill is not even a true Hornbill never mind a Turkey or a Buzzard. The Latin name for the Genus, consisting of the Abyssinian and Southern Ground Hornbill, is Bucorvus meaning Huge Crow. Its closest relatives are however still Hornbills.

The Southern Ground Hornbill differs from true Hornbills as they have longer legs, shorter toes and an extra vertebra in the neck. They have a bare red patch on the throat aiding them with cooling and breeding display. Firstly for cooling, they inflate this bare patch to move air over the tongue much like panting in a dog. As the bare patch extends it allows more air to cool assisting them in regulating their body temperature. Secondly, they use this as a breeding display. The dominant male in the group inflates his bare patch and flaunts himself in front of the female. The male will then then present the female with food which is often wrapped in nesting material. This courtship feeding continues throughout the breeding and nesting period.

Another reason they differ from “True Hornbills” lies in the way they nest. They nest in natural holes in trees, but unlike other hornbills they do not seal the nest. Two eggs are laid but only one chick will survive. The female starts incubating the eggs as soon as the first egg is laid resulting in one chick hatching a few days before the other. The older chick outcompetes the younger chick and it eventually dies of starvation. They entire group including males care for the successful chick.

They reach sexual maturity at about 4 - 6 years old and females disperse in search of males. Looking for mating opportunities, they lure males from other groups to start a new co-operative group. Males will then stay within the new group and assist in raising the new chicks. This is a common social structure used by many animals including wild dogs and mongoose.

Co-operation is their real strength as the groups are territorial and feed as a unit. When feeding they walk through the bush flushing prey out. They eat anything available, including snakes, lizards, tortoises and even carrion. They are known to pirate food from smaller birds but often fall victim to a similar fate, as larger birds of prey have the same habits. They frequently follow large mammals as the mammals flush prey out for them.

Unfortunately the Southern Ground Hornbill is an endangered species and has become locally extinct in many places in South Africa. They are very specific on nesting sites and as they are large birds nesting in holes in trees this resource is not commonly found. Habitat destruction through agriculture and deforestation has not aided this matter at all. They only rear a chick every 3 - 9 years and the chicks are dependent on adults for about 3 years. Coupled with only one chick surviving, the reproductive rate is incredibly slow. Ground Hornbills are often hunted as their body parts are important in traditional medicine. This utilisation and the habitat requirements mean that Ground Hornbills are highly localised and extremely endangered! Large natural areas and game reserves are therefore essential in safeguarding this species.