Niles

One of the most unique birds at the World Bird Sanctuary is Niles, the Southern Ground Hornbill.  


A social, often enthusiastic, and playful bird, Niles hammers his way into the hearts of all the staff and volunteers who work with him.

Niles showing off his beautiful plumage and markings

Niles is a large bird with beautiful black feathers, white primary wing feathers, large feet with grey scales, long eyelashes and vivid red patches of skin on his head and throat.  His most distinguishing characteristic is his long black beak.

Niles was hatched on May 5^th, 1998, at Busch Gardens in Tampa, Florida, and hand raised.  After joining the World Bird Sanctuary, he participated in his first zoo show one year later at the Milwaukee County Zoo.  He continued to perform at zoo shows and World Bird Sanctuary events through 2008.  Niles currently lives at the World Bird Sanctuary’s Lower Site.  During the cold winter months he lives inside the Education Training center.  When the weather becomes warmer in the spring, summer, and early fall, Niles lives outside in one of the large mews made with telephone poles.

Fossils found in Morocco indicate that the species Bucorvus leadbeateri, the Southern Ground Hornbill, is at least 15 million years old.  Southern Ground Hornbills are native to the savannas of Africa south of the equator.  They can fly, but usually choose to spend most of their time on the ground, where they can forage for reptiles, insects and small mammals among the short grass.  Gouthern Ground Hornbills live in family groups of 5-10 individuals.  Only one pair from each social group produces offspring.  The other members of the group help the alpha couple raise their young.

Niles enjoying his favorite pastime of rooting in his Aspen shavings

Niles likes to demonstrate his skill in providing food for his social group by offering food in the tip of his beak to anyone who passes by.  Who could resist a beak full of mice rolled in Aspen shavings?  If you walk by Niles’s mew you might find him eagerly engaged in a number of activities.  He likes to rearrange his wood chips, place various objects into his water bowl, hammer on every available solid object with his beak, and destroy cardboard boxes and pumpkins.

Submitted by Leah Sainz, World Bird Sanctuary Naturalist