The Mabula Ground Hornbill Project are asking residents and visitors to send pictures and sightings of Ground Hornbill to its administrators, for research purposes.
According to the Project, the birds start breeding in November, when the first rains arrive.
The female incubate her eggs for 42 days and will brood her hatchlings for another 30 days.
Other members of the group take part in the breeding process by caring for females before, during and after the nesting period.
Ground hornbill are listed internationally as “Vulnerable” on the IUCN Red data list of species, throughout their sub-equatorial range in Africa. But they are classified as “Endangered” within South Africa and Namibia.
Although there are about 1,500 hornbill left, their populations continue to decline towards being “Critically Endangered” in South Africa.
You are most likely to spot Hornbills in protected areas such as national parks and private nature reserves.
Outside of those areas, the birds can be spotted in the Midlands and Northern areas of KwaZulu-Natal and rural Eastern Cape.
According to the Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), they eat invertebrates, reptiles, rodents and amphibians.
Send your pictures and location to the National Monitoring Programme : 079 754 6234
Picture: Destination Africa