Southern Ground Hornbill (Bucorvus leadbeateri)

Photo@Joseph Aengwo

Southern Ground Hornbill is a large, turkey sized terrestrial bird, black-plumaged except for white primaries, conspicuous in flight. Adult bird has a bright red bare skin around eyes and on the neck, where usually somewhat inflated;eyes pale yellow; bill back, with small casque at the base above.

Pairs or small groups walk about in search for insects and small vertebrates.It will tend to take flight only when disturbed or alarmed.Widespread but partially distributed in open grassland and savanna around Nairobi  National Park, Maasai Mara, Central Rift Valley a round Lake Nakuru and Naivasha and Kakamega forest, Mt.Elgon and Kapenguria.