Ground hornbill

The ground hornbills (Bucorvinae) are a subfamily of the hornbill family Bucerotidae, with a single genus Bucorvus and two extant species.

The subfamily is endemic to sub-Saharan Africa - Abyssinian Ground Hornbill being found in a belt from Senegal east to Ethiopia, with Southern Ground Hornbill occurring in the south and east of the continent.

Ground hornbills are large, with adults around a metre tall. Both species are ground-dwelling, unlike other hornbills. They can be very long-lived.

Taxonomy

Some ornithologists consider the hornbills a distinct order Bucerotiformes and raise the Ground-hornbills to family level (Bucorvidae) on account of their distinctness. The genus Bucorvus contains two extant species:

• Abyssinian Ground Hornbill Bucorvus abyssinicus (also known as Northern Ground Hornbill)
• Southern Ground Hornbill Bucorvus leadbeateri

A prehistoric ground hornbill, Bucorvus brailloni, has been described from fossil bones.

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ground_hornbill&action=edit&section=1# ^[1]

Gallery

References

1. ^ Kemp, A. C. 1995 The Hornbills. Oxford University Press, Oxford.