Taxonomy
Some ornithologists consider the hornbills a distinct order Bucerotiformes and raise the Ground-hornbills to family level (Bucorvidae) on account of their distinctness. The genus Bucorvus contains two extant species:
- Abyssinian Ground Hornbill Bucorvus abyssinicus (also known as Northern Ground Hornbill)
- Southern Ground Hornbill Bucorvus leadbeateri
A prehistoric ground hornbill, Bucorvus brailloni, has been described from fossil bones in Morocco, suggesting that prior to Quaternary glaciations the genus was much more widespread or distributed differently.
It is currently thought that the ground hornbills are the most basal members of the Bucerotidae. They, along with Tockus and Tropicranus are almost exclusively carnivorous and lack the gular pouch that allows more distal hornbill genera to store fruit.
Read more about this topic: Ground Hornbill