The Abyssinian Ground Hornbill or Northern Ground Hornbill (Bucorvus Abyssinicus)
Abyssinian ground hornbill is a large, terrestrial hornbill with black body feathers and white primary feathers which are visible in flight. The adult male has a patch of bare blue skin around the eye and an inflatable patch of bare skin on the neck and throat which is red, apart from the upper throat which is blue. The bill is long and black except for a reddish patch at the base of the mandible. On top of the bill, there is a short open-ended black casque. The female is similar but smaller with any bare skin being wholly dark blue. The Abyssinian ground hornbill has long feathers that look like eyelashes that surround its eyes. These protect the eyes from injury. Similar in size to a wild turkey, Abyssinian hornbills are large birds about 40 in (102 cm) long and weighing up to 8-11 lb (4-5 kg).
The Abyssinian ground hornbill is diurnal and lives in open grassland, in pairs or small family parties. They patrol their territory by walking and are reluctant fliers, usually only taking to the air when alarmed. Primarily carnivores, Abyssinian ground hornbills eat reptiles such as cobras, tortoises and lizards, as well as mammals like hares and mongooses, and insects and arachnids. Occasionally they will scavenge for carrion to supplement their diet, as well as consume seeds and fruit. Abyssinian ground hornbills will travel up to seven miles (11 kilometres) each day in search of food, overtaking and consuming prey they encounter.
Abyssinian ground hornbills are monogamous, with males helping care for females and young ones during the incubation stage. Nests are constructed in the cavities of trees, with rock holes or synthetic cavities utilized when trees are unavailable. Males prepare the nest cavity by lining it with dry leaves; females will then lay one or two eggs over the course of five days. Incubation lasts 37 to 41 days, with the male providing food for the incubating female that is partially sealed with a mixture of mud and vegetation. Incubation for Abyssinian ground hornbills begins with the first egg, so one hatchling will mature more quickly and grow faster than its nestmate. Newly hatched chicks normally weigh about 2.5 ounces (70 grams). The second hatched chick will often die of starvation as its larger sibling prospers. Parents will protect and provide food for their offspring, which will remain with the pair for up to three years. Abyssinian ground hornbills breed about once every three years, with on an average of one chick surviving to adulthood every nine years.
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