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An Abyssinian ground hornbill with black feathers, a curved bill and a red throat patch standing in tall grass.
Photo: Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Abyssinian Ground Hornbill

Bucorvus abyssinicus

A big black hornbill of African savannas that walks the ground hunting snakes, lizards and small mammals. Also called the northern ground hornbill.

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About the Abyssinian Ground Hornbill

Abyssinian ground hornbills live in savannas, grasslands and scrub across north-central Africa, from Senegal and Guinea in the west to Ethiopia in the east. They are mostly meat-eaters that hunt reptiles such as cobras, tortoises and lizards, mammals like hares and mongooses, and insects and spiders. A hornbill may walk up to 7 miles in one day looking for food. They are usually seen in pairs.[1]

Quick facts

Scientific name
Bucorvus abyssinicus[1][2]
Size
About 40 inches (102 cm) long.[1]
Weight
About 8 to 11 pounds (4 to 5 kg).[1]
Lifespan
Up to 40 years in human care. Unknown in the wild.[1]
Diet
Mostly carnivore. Reptiles such as cobras, tortoises and lizards, mammals such as hares and mongooses, and insects and arachnids.[1]
Habitat
Savannas, grasslands and scrub with trees for nesting.[1]
Where it lives
North-central Africa, from Senegal and Guinea to Ethiopia.[1]
Group life
Usually seen in pairs, sometimes in groups.[1]
Babies
One or two eggs, incubated for 37 to 41 days.[1]
Conservation status
Vulnerable (IUCN Red List, assessed 2018).[2]

Fun facts

  • A ground hornbill may walk up to 7 miles (11 km) a day looking for food.[1]
  • When threatened, ground hornbills prefer to run rather than fly.[1]
  • Male and female hornbills have been seen singing together in duets.[1]
  • Ground hornbills will eat venomous snakes such as cobras.[1]

Vocabulary

hornbill
A bird with a large, curved bill, often with a bony ridge on top called a casque.
carnivore
An animal that eats mostly meat.
arachnid
An animal with eight legs, such as a spider or scorpion.
duet
A song performed by two singers together.
scrub
Land covered with low bushes and small trees.

See it in person

Sources

  1. [1] Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute. “Abyssinian ground hornbill.” https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/abyssinian-ground-hornbill (accessed 2026-10-02)
  2. [2] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Bucorvus abyssinicus (Northern Ground-hornbill).” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22682632/132204438 (accessed 2026-10-02)

Facts last checked 2026-10-02.

More Hornbills

A black southern ground hornbill with red facial skin walking on a dirt path.Southern Ground HornbillBucorvus leadbeateriA big black African hornbill that walks the grasslands hunting small animals and booms to announce its territory.