Tufts is a Southern Ground Hornbill and was born May, 9 2009 here at Busch Gardens. When I first saw him I’ll be honest I didnt think he was the cutest baby bird, but as the saying goes, he became a face only a father would love. Ever since that day, a day doesn’t go by when I can’t wait to go visit him at his habitat and interact with him.
Southern Ground Hornbills are very intelligent and pick up on positive reinforcement training very well. One of Tufts most impressive behaviors is his “flight” behavior, which with a wingspan of 4 ft is quite a site to see. One of his favorite things to do is hunt for millworms in the sand in his home at Jambo Junction.
What is a Southern Ground Hornbill?
Southern ground-hornbill inhabits the various countries of southern Africa, living in a wide range of grassland, savanna woodland habitats. Southern Ground Hornbills are carnivores meaning they eat only meat. They forage on the ground, where they feed on reptiles, frogs, snails, insects and small mammals. Male and female hornbills have different colorations which allow you to distinguish them apart. Females have a blue patch on their red wattle whereas males have bare facial skin and a wattle that can expand.
(Tufts - Juvenile Male Hornbill Coloration)
(Baraka - Mature Adult Male Hornbill Coloration)
These neck wattles are used to make booming or grunting sounds, often just before dawn, which can sound like lions roaring in the distance. Here at Busch Gardens Tufts tries to make those sounds but his vocals sound more like a teenager going thru puberty than a lion. Once he becomes mature at 4 yrs old like his 13yrs old brother Baraka, Tufts vocals eventually will be heard throughout Jambo Junction.
Southern Ground Hornbill Conservation
Vulnerable in Southern Africa, ground hornbills have an estimated population of just 1500-2000. Its South African distribution range has decreased hugely recently, due to persecution, habitat destruction and extensive farming. The Seaworld Busch Gardens Conservation Fund supports many projects such as the Mabula Ground Hornbill Research and Conservation Project that helps to increase hornbill populations. The Mabula Ground Hornbill Research and Conservation Project has harvested Ground Hornbill second hatched chicks from Kruger National Park and non-protected areas of South Africa and hand-reared the chicks for the captive breeding and wild release programs. Southern Ground Hornbills always lay two eggs and the first hatch always out competes the second for food. Sadly the second hatched chick never survives. So by releasing the hand-reared individuals back into remaining suitable habitats hopefully the Southern Ground Hornbill populations will bounce back and stay at a sustainable size.
So anytime you visit Busch Gardens come see Tufts and our other Animal Ambassadors at Jambo Junction, and hey if you’re lucky you will see him out showing off his “flight” behavior!
