Each year Birdlife South Africa selects a species as the ‘Bird of the Year’. This year, in partnership with the Mabula Ground-Hornbill Project and funded by the Hans Hoheisen Charitable Trust, the Southern Ground-Hornbill has been chosen as the Bird of the Year 2020.
The Southern Ground-Hornbill is an iconic bird which is endemic to Africa. It can be identified by its striking black and red colouration and is the largest of all hornbill species. Unfortunately, they face multiple threats including habitat loss, secondary poisoning and direct persecution. They have been classified as ‘Vulnerable’ globally by the IUCN since 2010 and are ‘Endangered’ in South Africa.
