Ground Hornbills

Some great news for all concerned birders. We are delighted to say that 7 Ground Hornbills were seen in the reserve this morning on one of the nearby airstrips. These fantastic birds are unfortunately classified as vulnerable in the Eskom Red Data Book of Birds, less than 1500 are found in South Africa today. The Ground Hornbills social structure is unfortunately one of these birds greatest demises, consisting of one breeding pair per family group which on average only breed once every two and a half years, and that only one out of three chicks fledges successfully every nine years. There are also a number of external factors which are influencing the Ground Hornbills population. Some cultures kill the birds and use the body parts to stop the onset of droughts. The ground Hornbills are very fussy with their nesting sites, nesting only on cliff faces 4 – 5 m above the ground and in holes in dead tree stumps. Removal of tree stumps and disturbances on cliff faces discourages nesting. If these birds do not find a favorable nesting site they will not breed that year. Direct persecution by humans is another concern, Ground Hornbills have a bad habit of attacking their reflection in windows and often break the window in the process, and as a result they are being killed due to damage to property. On a brighter note the Transkei cultures believe it to be bad luck to kill the Ground Hornbill because they kill snakes, as a result a healthy population still occurs there today.

Posted: Exeter Lodges by Craig Paulsen, Date: 6 July 2008