BIRD OF THE YEAR 2020
BirdLife South Africa is pleased to announce that the Bird of the Year in 2020 will be the
Southern Ground-Hornbill
Bucorvus leadbeateri.
The Southern Ground-Hornbill, the largest hornbill species, is well known to many South
Africans, especially those who visit the Kruger National Park. It is found in the Savanna
Biome, but is now mainly restricted to protected areas and a few rural grazing lands in
KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape. This hornbill is listed as Endangered in South Africa
with fewer than 1 500 adults remaining in our country. Half of these occur in the Kruger
National Park. It is threatened by habitat alteration, especially the loss of large trees,
afforestation of grasslands, poisoning and electrocution.
Sometimes known as the “Thunderbird” or the “Rain Bird” it is believed by many
indigenous cultures to be an important symbol of the start of the seasonal rains.
The birds live in social, cooperatively breeding groups that consist of between 2-9 birds
(the average group size is 3.6), but with only one alpha pair (male and female) per group
and the rest of the group consisting of helper males.
The Mabula Ground Hornbill Project, a BirdLife Species Guardian, does important work
to conserve the Southern Ground-Hornbill.
During 2020, BirdLife South Africa, in collaboration with the Mabula Ground Hornbill
Project, will create awareness about the Southern Ground-Hornbill through the
production of an informative poster, the development of learning resources for schools
that are free to download from the BirdLife South Africa website (
www.birdlife.org.za),
articles in African Birdlife magazine, social media posts, presentations to interested
groups, and the sale of merchandise.
The Hans Hoheisen Charitable Trust is the sponsor of Bird of the Year 2020.
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