GROUND HORNBILL
One of 2 species of Ground Hornbills found in Kenya (the other being the Abyssinian Ground Hornbill). Ground Hornbills are huge prehistoric appearing birds of open grasslands and savanna in sub-Saharan Africa. These are the largest of the Hornbills and are primarily terrestrial. They have very large territories of about 100 sq. kilometers. They travel in groups which normally consist of the dominant male and his mate along with a number of, usually, related birds. These act as helpers and assist in feeding the young. Both species of Ground Hornbill spend much of the day foraging on the ground for lizards, snakes, and a wide variety of live prey, plus fruits. When gathering food to take back to their nest they will carry a beak full of insects around which they will carefully put to one side if they spot another tasty morsel (perhaps a large spider or grasshopper). They will pick up the new delicacy, then carefully rearrange all the food items on the ground before picking them back up and stalking away. The large bill may be why hornbills are the only birds with the first two neck vertebrae fused together. They nest in crevices, but the female is not sealed-in like the typical hornbills. They are quite fascinating to watch,
they walk instead of hop,
having a very stately, deliberate gait and rather superior "expression". Hornbills are notable for their long eyelashes and rather stubby legs and toes, with broad soles and the bases of the three front toes partly fused. The African Ground Hornbill's throat skin is inflatable, and sometimes inflates when it makes its guttural call.
In South Africa there has been a large decline in their numbers for a number of reasons. They are popular to use as "muti" or tribal medicine among some of the indigenous people of South Africa. The brain of a ground hornbill, if kept in a village, is reputed to bring the village luck. Irate homeowners kill them because they will attack windows, breaking them, if they encounter their reflections. They are also vulnerable to picking up poison baits that are set out for predators.
The 'Paradisia Collection' wildlife design will portray
the very stately and proud African Ground Hornbill of Africa.
Paradisia Collection |