My love for hornbills clearly started with this species. They have a pair at the San Diego Wild Animal Park and on my visits they always would get a long visit for me. I guess it was their curiosity (coming up fairly close to me) with their large expressive eyes and long eyelashes. In any case, the Abyssinian Ground-hornbill is one of my favorite birds. It occurs in a band across the Afro-tropics from Senegal, Gambia (where it may have all but disappeared from the Western Region) and southern Mauritania through West Africa and across to northern Kenya, Uganda, Eritrea, Ethiopia, and northwestern Somalia. It is becoming increasingly restricted to protected areas (e.g. in Togo, Benin, Niger, Nigeria, Uganda), and may be disappearing from these areas also. It is listed "Vulnerable" due to its rapidly decreasing population trend. This species is widespread and common, but sparse in population. Habitat loss may be having a significant impact on this species, with the species now potentially being mainly restricted to protected areas. Unfortunately, some these "protected" areas, are being invaded and illegally farmed. Sexes are dimorphic; males have red throats and are about 10% larger. They have a life span of 30-40 years.