The southern ground hornbill (Bucorvus leadbeateri; formerly known as Bucorvus cafer) 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.[2] Within these regions, they inhabit both woodlands and savannas.[3] The other species of the genus Bucorvus is the Abyssinian ground hornbill, B. abyssinicus.
Southern ground hornbills are carnivorous and hunt mostly on the ground. Their food ranges from insects to small vertebrates.[3] Their nests are often found in high tree cavities or other shallow cavities, such as rock holes in cliff faces.[4] These birds are a long-lived species, having lifespans in the range of 50–60 years, and up to 70 in captivity.[3] In relation to their long lives, they do not reach sexual maturity until 4–6 years old, and begin breeding around 10 years old.[5] Their sex can be identified by the colour of their throats: the male's is pure red and the female's is a deep violet-blue.[3]
Southern ground hornbills are a culturally pervasive and important species in southern Africa. Kruger National Park, located within South Africa, lists southern ground hornbills as one of their ‘Big Six’ bird species.[6] However, their numbers have been declining, due in part to persecution, habitat destruction, cultural beliefs, and other factors. They are listed globally as ‘Vulnerable’ by the IUCN as of 2018, and as ‘Endangered’ in South Africa, Lesotho, Namibia and Eswatini.[7][8]
^BirdLife International (2016). "Bucorvus leadbeateri". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22682638A92955067. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22682638A92955067.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
^"Southern Ground-hornbill (Bucorvus leadbeateri) - BirdLife species factsheet".
^ abcdKemp, Alan; Kemp, M.I. (1980). "The biology of the Southern Ground Hornbill Bucorvus leadbeateri (Vigors) (Aves: Bucerotidae)" (PDF). Annals of the Transvaal Museum. 32: 67.
^Kemp, Alan; Begg, Keith (1996). "Nest sites of the Southern Ground hornbill Bucorvus leadbeateri in the Kruger National Park, South Africa, and conservation implications". Ostrich. 67: 9–14. doi:10.1080/00306525.1996.9633773.
^Coetzee, Hendri; Nell, Werner; van Rensburg, Leon (2014). "An exploration of cultural beliefs and practices across the Southern Ground-Hornbill's range in Africa". Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine. 10 (1): 28. doi:10.1186/1746-4269-10-28. ISSN 1746-4269. PMC 3973005. PMID 24670253.
^Engelbrecht, Derek. "Kruger National Park's Big 6 Birds". South African National Parks - SANParks - Official Website - Accommodations, Activities, Prices, Reservations.
^Taylor, M.R.; Kemp, L. "Southern Ground-Hornbill Bucorvus leadbeateri". In Taylor, Martin; Peacock, Faansie; Wanless, Ross (eds.). The 2015 Eskom Red Data Book of Birds of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland. BirdLife South Africa. pp. 119–121.
^Simmons, Rob (2015). "Southern Ground-Hornbill Bucorvus leadbeateri". In Simmons, Rob; Brown; Kemper, Jessica (eds.). Birds to Watch in Namibia: Red, Rare and Endemic Species. Ministry of Environment and Tourism and Namibia Nature Foundation date. pp. 38–39. ISBN 978-9-9945-0082-6.
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