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Bite, throw, catch, swallow, gone...
"The Abyssinian ground hornbill is an omnivore. It hunts by slowly walking through grasslands. When it finds prey, it quickly grabs it, throws it into the air, catches it ans swallows it. Fast, agile and effective"
Discover in real lifeHabitat:
savannah in West and Central Africa
Food:
fruit, invertebrates, insects, frogs and small mammals
Weight:
3 to 5 kg
Number of eggs:
1 tot 2 eieren
Incubation time:
38 days
IUCN:
Save
EEP:
yes
About the Abyssinian ground hornbill
The Abyssinian ground hornbill (Bucorvus abyssinicus) is a large crow-like bird that lives in the savannahs of West and Central Africa. This omnivore hunts slowly through the grass for insects, frogs, small mammals and fruit. The bird weighs 3 to 5 kilograms, can live for 35 to 40 years and lays 1 to 2 eggs, which are incubated for 38 days.
Habitat and threats
The Abyssinian ground hornbill lives mainly on open savannahs and grasslands in West and Central Africa. This landscape consists of vast plains with scattered trees and shrubs, where the hornbill has plenty of space to walk on the ground. Unlike many other birds, it spends most of its time walking, searching for food such as insects and small mammals.
The habitat of the Abyssinian ground hornbill is under increasing pressure. Large parts of the savannah are disappearing due to the expansion of agriculture, livestock farming and human settlements. Deforestation and drought also play a role in the decline of suitable habitat. In addition, hornbills are hunted or captured in some areas, for example because of traditional beliefs. Together, these factors are causing the species to become increasingly rare in parts of its range.
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Species conservation in Beekse Bergen
Fortunately, the IUCN status of the Abyssinian ground hornbill is “least concern”, but did you know that more than 10,000 animal species are threatened with extinction? Beekse Bergen works together with approximately 325 European zoos to preserve these species. We form the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA). Through management programmes (EEPs), we ensure healthy reserve populations.
The Abyssinian ground hornbills at Beekse Bergen are also part of an EEP. A coordinator keeps a studbook of the species and manages the population in zoos. Together with a committee, the coordinator advises on which animals are allowed to breed together. Sometimes this means that a Abyssinian ground hornbill is moved to another zoo. In this way, we increase the chance of healthy offspring and the survival of the species. You can recognize animal species with an EEP by the logo of a rhino with a calf.