The Abyssinian Ground Hornbill in Uganda is one of the African birds in Uganda seen during your safari either bird watching safari or birding tour. Scientifically known as the “Bucyrus abyssinicus”, The Abyssinian ground hornbill or northern ground hornbill is an African bird, found north of the equator, and is one of two species of ground hornbill.
Abyssinian ground hornbills will travel up to seven miles that is 11 kilometers each day on ground in such of food, overtaking and consuming prey they encounter. These birds have been observed following ungulate herds and forest fires to feed on prey fleeing disturbances.
Hornbills possess both extraordinary loyalty and now extraordinary skills in understanding object permanence. Forget the term bird brain; many bird species are actually famous for their intelligence. And while parrots and corvids get all the credit, another group of birds is joining the ranks.
The ground hornbill total length is 90 to 110 cm (35 to 43 in). The Abyssinian ground hornbill has long feathers that look like eyelashes that surround its eyes. These protect the eyes from injury. It reportedly averages around 90 to 100 cm (35 to 39 in) tall, around 110 cm (43 in) and weighs approximately 4 kg (8.8 lb).
Hornbills can live to the age of 30. They mate for life with one female or male and live in family units comprising parents and offspring. Only the females incubate the eggs, but once the chicks have hatched both parents are responsible for feeding.
Females usually lay three to six eggs in a tree cavity. She seals herself and the nest off with cement like substance made of mud, droppings and fruit pulp. A narrow opening allows the male to transfer food to her and later to her and the chicks as they remain sealed inside.
The greater hornbill is able to consume as much as 140 figs during one meal. Hornbills are famous for their nesting ritual. Once courtship and mating are over, the female finds a tree hollow and seals herself in with dung and pellets of mud.
Known as the farmers of our forests, hornbills are large charismatic birds with disportionately beaks and distinctive calls. Their unique casques and colorful appearance make them hard to miss.
Hornbills have a two lobed kidney. They are the only birds in which the first and second neck vertebrae (the atlas and axis respectively) are fused together; this probably provides a more stable platform for carrying the bill. The family is omnivorous, feeding on fruit and small animals.
Ground Hornbills are associated with open savannah, grassland, woodlands and cultivated areas, where they walk slowly in their search for food in wild. They are characterized by their large size (90-130 cm); dark black plumage and red wattle.
Hornbills are curious and intelligent creatures and they love to investigate everything in their sight.
In the wild, the great hornbill’s diet consists mainly of fruit. Figs are particularly important as a food source. Vitex altissimo has been noted as another important food source. Great hornbills also forage on lipid-rich fruits of the families.
It is believed that you kill a Hornbill the rains will come with such force that it will literally wash your land away. So strong is this belief, that in times of drought, rain-doctors will actually ritualistically kill a hornbill in order to bring the rain.
In particular, extra care should be taken during the beginning of the nesting season, as females have been known to abandon nests before eggs are laid. Hornbills can become very aggressive, particularly during nesting.
Abyssinian ground hornbills are preyed on by large carnivores, such as leopards. Human predation for food occurs in some countries, including northern Cameroon and Burkina Faso. The nests may be preyed upon by smaller terrestrial predators.
Their nests are often found in high tree cavities or other shallow cavities, such as rock holes in cliff faces. These birds are a long-lived species, having lifespan in the range of 50 to 65 years and can go up to 70 years in captivity.
