Cálao Terrestre Sureño

Identificación

This is a large bird, at 90 to 129 cm (2 ft 11 in to 4 ft 3 in) long. Females weigh 2.2 to 4.6 kilograms (4.9 to 10.1 lb), while the larger males weigh 3.5 to 6.2 kilograms (7.7 to 13.7 lb). The average weight of eight females was 3.34 kg (7.4 lb) whilst that of eight males was 4.2 kg (9.3 lb); thus they average around 35% percent heavier than any Asian hornbill species. Wingspan is from 1.2 to 1.8 m (3 ft 11 in to 5 ft 11 in). The wing chord is 49.5 to 61.8 cm (19.5 to 24.3 in), the tail from 29 to 36 cm (11 to 14 in), the tarsus from 13 to 15.5 cm (5.1 to 6.1 in) and the culmen from 16.8 to 22.1 cm (6.6 to 8.7 in). Stevenson and Fanshawe report that the Abyssinian ground hornbill is the larger species on average, at 110 cm (43 in), than the southern species, at 102 cm (40 in), but published maximum weights and standard measurements indicate the southern species is slightly larger. Average weights are not known for the Abyssinian species.<p>The southern ground hornbill is black with vivid red patches of bare skin on the face and throat (yellow in juvenile birds), which are believed to keep dust out of the birds' eyes while they forage during the dry season. The white tips of the wings (primary feathers) seen in flight are another diagnostic characteristic. The beak is black and slightly curved and presents a casque, more developed in males. Female southern ground hornbills are smaller and have violet-blue skin on their throats. Juveniles to six years old lack the prominent red pouch, having a duller patch of grey in its place.

Taxonomía

Género: Bucorvus; familia: Bucerotidae; orden: Bucerotiformes.

Nombre científico

Bucorvus leadbeateri

Autoridad

(Vigors, 1825)

Orden

Bucerotiformes

Familia

Bucorvidae

Género

Bucorvus

Distribución y hábitat

Migración

Especie residente

Comportamiento

Patrón migratorio: Especie residente.

Conservación

Tendencia poblacional: en declive.

Tendencia poblacional

en declive