Southern Ground Hornbill (Bucorvus leadbeateri)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Southern Ground Hornbill

Bucorvus leadbeateri (Vigors, 1825)

90–129 cmLength3.7 kgWeight

The southern ground hornbill (Bucorvus leadbeateri) is one of two species of ground hornbill, both of which are found solely within Africa, and is the largest species in the hornbill order worldwide.

Busiest months: August and October–November · Most records: Tanzania, Kenya, South Africa

Vulnerable

Where and when it's recorded

Busiest months: August and October–November · Most records: Tanzania, Kenya, South Africa

Southern Ground Hornbill has been recorded at 174 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 12 countries and regions.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Tarangire NPTanzania787 records
  2. Lake Manyara NPTanzania463 records
  3. Maasai Mara NRKenya402 records
More places
  1. Maasai Mara NR – Mara TriangleKenya382 records
  2. Kruger NP – Satara CampSouth Africa227 records
  3. Serengeti NPTanzania222 records
  4. Lake Nakuru NPKenya208 records
  5. South Luangwa NPZambia181 records
  6. Mikumi NPTanzania170 records
  7. Kruger NP – Skukuza CampSouth Africa151 records

Countries and regions with the most records

TanzaniaKenyaSouth AfricaBotswanaZambiaZimbabweMalawiMozambique

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The southern ground hornbill (Bucorvus leadbeateri) is one of two species of ground hornbill, both of which are found solely within Africa, and is the largest species in the hornbill order worldwide. It can be found in the southern regions of Africa, ranging from Kenya to South Africa. Within these regions, they inhabit both woodlands and savannas.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Southern Ground Hornbill?

The Southern Ground Hornbill is about 90–129 cm long and weighs around 3.7 kg.

Where does the Southern Ground Hornbill live?

Its breeding range: Africa: Kenya and Tanzania to central Angola, northern Botswana and eastern South Africa. It is most often recorded in Tanzania, Kenya and South Africa.

When is the best time to see the Southern Ground Hornbill?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in August, October and November (Southern Hemisphere).

Is the Southern Ground Hornbill endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Southern Ground Hornbill as Vulnerable.

What does the Southern Ground Hornbill eat?

Main food: Omnivore.

What family is the Southern Ground Hornbill in?

It belongs to the family Hornbills (Bucerotidae), order Bucerotiformes.

At a glance

Length
90–129 cm
Weight
3.7 kg
Habitat
Grassland
Diet
Omnivore
Lifestyle
Active on the ground
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Vulnerable
More measurements
Wing
534 mm
Tail
320 mm
Bill
204 mm
Tarsus
141 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Africa: Kenya and Tanzania to central Angola, northern Botswana and eastern South Africa

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Family
Hornbills Bucerotidae
Genus
Bucorvus

Other birds in the genus Bucorvus

Abyssinian Ground HornbillAbyssinian Ground HornbillBucorvus abyssinicusTanzanian Red-billed HornbillTanzanian Red-billed HornbillTockus ruahaeWestern Red-billed HornbillWestern Red-billed HornbillTockus kempiDamara Red-billed HornbillDamara Red-billed HornbillTockus damarensisSouthern Red-billed HornbillSouthern Red-billed HornbillTockus rufirostrisNorthern Red-billed HornbillNorthern Red-billed HornbillTockus erythrorhynchusMonteiro's HornbillMonteiro's HornbillTockus monteiriVon der Decken's HornbillVon der Decken's HornbillTockus deckeniJackson's HornbillJackson's HornbillTockus jacksoniSouthern Yellow-billed HornbillSouthern Yellow-billed HornbillTockus leucomelas
Southern Ground Hornbill

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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Chien Lee. ↗

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