DISTRIBUTION AND ABUNDANCE OF HORNBILLS IN SOME SELECTED MATRICES/LANDSCAPES IN SOUTHERN GHANA

ABSTRACT

A study of the seasonal patterns of distribution and abundance of hornbills was carried out from October 2010 to September 2011 in six protected areas of the Upper Guinea Forest of Ghana, a sacred grove, two urban settlements and a biodiversity plot in four regions of Ghana. The study compared the effects of the rainy and dry seasons on the distribution and abundance of hornbills in different matrix types. More hornbills were recorded in the dry season than in the rainy season. Five hornbill species were recorded. They were: Ceratogymna atrata (Black-casqued Hornbill), Tockus fasciatus (African Pied Hornbill), Tockus hartlaubi (Black Dwarf), Bycanistes fistulator (Piping Hornbill) and Tropicranus albocristatus (White-crested Hornbill). Although the occurrence of Bycanistes cylindricus was expected, its absence is an indication of the high level of destruction of Ghana’s forests, even protected areas. The study reveals that the populations of Ghana’s hornbills may be low. The generally low abundance in some of the study areas may probably be due to effects of prolonged disturbance within their home ranges resulting from mining, logging, hunting and clearing of forests for farming. Examination of the knowledge possessed by indigenous people on aspects of hornbill ecology and possible threats faced by these species indicated that hornbills were currently overexploited. Given this current and other known threats to African forest-dwelling hornbills, this study serves as a basis on which the status of these species may be reviewed periodically.