Abyssinian/Northern Ground Hornbill Bucorvus abyssinicus

The Abyssinian Hornbill, also called the Abyssinian or Northern Ground Hornbill, is one of only two "Ground" Hornbills, the other being the Southern Ground Hornbill. The Abyssinian lives north from Uganda to the Sahara edge. Both differ from all other hornbills by spending much of the daytime on the ground and walking in preference to hopping/flying.

The Northern Ground Hornbill differs from the Southern in appearance and sound. The Northern male has a similar red throat patch but has blue instead of red eye surround (above right), while the female also has blue rather than red eye shadow and a blue/lavender/grey-brown throat patch (top left/centre).

Female with blue eye shadow and a blue/lavender/grey throat pouch

Both Ground Hornbills usually prefer to walk (above) rather than to fly (below), unlike their arboreal "cousins" (they are more prehistoric than the tree-living hornbills).

They can fly when necessary.