Birds and Birding's Guide to:

Watching THE ROLLER-LIKE BIRDS

THE ROLLERS AND THEIR ALLIES

THE HORNBILLS

African Ground Hornbills

Of the Ground Hornbills there is but a single genus (Bucorax) and two species, both African. They are large birds, forty to forty-three inches long, and have the entire plumage black, except the prima-aries, which are white. They differ principally in the form of the casque, this, in the Abyssinian Ground Hornbill (B. abyssinicus) of Northeast and West Africa, being wide open in front, while in the South African Ground Hornbill (B. caffer) it is closed or only slightly open.

A further mark of difference is the color of the bare skin of the neck and around the eye, this being blue in the first species and bright red in the second. While the habits of the two species are apparently similar, those of the South African bird are perhaps better known. This species, known to the Boers as the Brom-vogel, is not uncommon in many parts of the country, keeping much to the open or sparsely wooded districts, and usually seen in small parties of a dozen or less, although occasionally congregating in large flocks.

Their superstitious regard by the native black men is well known, as the following account from Mr. H. Bouker attests: “There are many superstitions connected with the Brom-vogel, the bird being held sacred by the Kaffirs, and is only killed in times of severe drought, when it is killed by order of the 'rain-doctor,' and its body thrown into a pool in a river.

The idea is, that the bird has so offensive a smell that it will ' make the water sick,' and that the only way of getting rid of this is to wash it away to the sea, which can only be done by heavy rains and flooding of the river.”Of the habits of these Hornbills in Natal, Mr. Ayres says: “These birds are gregarious and to be found here all the year round, but not very plentiful, generally three or four, sometimes more being found together.

They are very fond of hunting for their food on ground from which the grass has been burnt; with their strong bills they peck up the hard ground, and turn over lumps in search of insects, making the dust fly again; having found an insect or other food, they take it up, and giving the head a toss, the bill pointing upward, appear to let the food roll down the throat. They also kill large snakes.”The nest is said to be placed in a hollow tree, and the eggs to be large and white.

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