On the other side of Bucerotiformes, we first come to Bucorvidae: the ground hornbills. There are 2 species endemic to Sub-Saharan Africa. Pictured are the Abyssinian (Bucorvus abyssinicus) and southern ground hornbill (B. leadbeateri).
Ground hornbills are large, impressive birds of the savanna and open woodlands, standing up to a meter tall. Typically, they are seen in pairs or threes, foraging terrestrially. Their diet is varied, consisting of arthropods, small vertebrates, carrion, fruit, and seeds. Some have been documented chasing eagles to steal their prey, and climbing trees to pursue prey. The faces of these birds are striking, with massive beaks, brightly colored skin and throat sacs, and enchantingly long eyelashes.
Southern ground hornbills breed cooperatively, with mating pairs assisted by several helpers in raising their brood. They are among the longest lived (up to 50 years in the wild) and slowest breeding (every 3 years, and not until they are 6 years old for the first time) of all birds. Darren Naish has famously drawn parallels between ground hornbills and human evolutionary histories, with both being markedly intelligent bipeds with an omnivorous diet that evolved in the African savanna. If one was looking for an answer to the age old “what would a dinosaur evolving along a similar path as hominids look like” question, ground hornbills are a good candidate.
