What is the Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill?

The southern yellow-billed hornbill (Tockus leucomelas) is a hornbill found in southern Africa. Yellow-billed hornbills feed mainly on the ground, where they forage for seeds, small insects, spiders and scorpions. This hornbill species is a common and widespread resident of dry thornveldt and broad-leafed woodlands. They can often be seen along roads and water courses.

Go Birding

Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill

Tockus leucomelas

The southern yellow-billed hornbill (Tockus leucomelas) is a hornbill found in southern Africa.

from Wikipedia

Showing stays that recordSouthern Yellow-billed Hornbill10+ stays list it on site or nearby

Species insights▾

When to visit

Recorded year-round

Recorded in every month, so no month is the wrong month to look. We would rather say that than invent a best time.

Best monthsAny month

Records2,863 records

Curve from 2,863 national iNaturalist observations, not from one property. Single-month spikes are discarded as upload artefacts, and below 50 records we show no curve at all.

Where you'll find it

Mpumalanga and beyond

Provinces where Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill is most recorded. Tap one to find places to stay.

2,863 records, iNaturalist

Parks where hosts record the Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill

Places to stay

10+ results in South Africa

Tanda Tula Safari Camp

Limpopo

Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill recorded here · Savanna biome · 27 birds recorded · Lion, Leopard · Guided walk, Game drives

Price on request

Rhino Ridge Safari Lodge

Hluhluwe

Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill recorded here · Savanna biome · 285 birds recorded · African wild dog, Spotted hyena · Game drives

Price on request

Plains Camp @ Rhino Walking Safaris

Mpumalanga

Reliably seen · Birder friendly · Savanna biome · 224 birds recorded · Aardvark, African elephant · Guided walk, Game drives

Supports BirdLife South Africa

Price on request

Jaci's Private Lodge

Madikwe

Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill recorded here · Savanna biome · 71 birds recorded · Leopard, Lion · Game drives, Photography

Supports Jaci's Lodge Trust

From R 31,500 per night

&Beyond Ngala Safari Lodge

Hoedspruit

Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill recorded here · Savanna biome · 31 birds recorded · Leopard, Lion · Safaris, Game drives

Supports Endangered Wildlife Trust

From R 37,800 per night

&Beyond Ngala Tented Camp

Phalaborwa

Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill recorded here · Savanna biome · 31 birds recorded · Leopard, Lion · Safaris, Dining experiences

Supports Endangered Wildlife Trust

From R 52,000 per night

Mdluli Safari Lodge

Hazyview

Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill recorded here · Savanna biome · 224 birds recorded · Leopard, Lion · Game drives

From R 10,670 per night

Kruger Shalati: The Train on the Bridge

Hazyview

Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill recorded here · Savanna biome · 224 birds recorded · Leopard, Lion · Safaris, Scenic drives

Supports Endangered Wildlife Trust

From R 17,400 per night

Izingwe Lodge

Welgevonden Reserve, Vaalwater

Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill recorded here · Savanna biome · 15 birds recorded · Aardvark, Banded mongoose · Hiking, Scenic drives

Supports Endangered Wildlife Trust

Price on request

Kruger Untamed - Satara Plains Camp

Marloth Park

Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill recorded here · Savanna biome · 224 birds recorded · Impala, Spotted hyena · Safaris, Guided walk

Supports Endangered Wildlife Trust

From R 11,980 per night

Kruger Untamed - Tshokwane River Camp

Marloth Park

Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill recorded here · Savanna biome · 224 birds recorded · Leopard, Lion · Safaris, Guided walk

Supports Endangered Wildlife Trust

From R 17,500 per night

Inzalo Safari Lodge

Welgevonden Reserve, Vaalwater

Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill recorded here · Savanna biome · 15 birds recorded · Leopard, Lion · Safaris, Scenic drives

Supports Endangered Wildlife Trust

Price on request

Grootkolk Wilderness Camp

Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill recorded here · Savanna biome · 97 birds recorded · Gemsbok, Springbok

From R 2,634 per night

Bitterpan Wilderness Camp

Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill recorded here · Savanna biome · 97 birds recorded · Gemsbok, Camel thorn · Stargazing, 4x4 trails

From R 2,634 per night

Kieliekrankie Wilderness Camp

Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill recorded here · Savanna biome · 97 birds recorded · Camel thorn, Gemsbok · Stargazing

From R 2,634 per night

Gharagab Wilderness Camp

Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill recorded here · Savanna biome · 97 birds recorded · Gemsbok, Giraffe · Stargazing, 4x4 trails

From R 2,634 per night

Kalahari Tented Camp

Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill recorded here · Savanna biome · 97 birds recorded · Gemsbok, Springbok · Stargazing

From R 2,314 per night

Urikaruus Wilderness Camp

Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill recorded here · Savanna biome · 97 birds recorded · Gemsbok, Springbok · Stargazing

From R 2,634 per night

Little Dinokeng Bush Lodge

Hammanskraal

Reliably seen · Birder friendly · Savanna biome · 19 birds recorded · Leopard, Lion · Game drives, Guided walk

From R 1,537 per night

More stays nearby

Babylonstoren

Klapmuts, Simondium

12 birds recorded · Angulate tortoise, Wild olive · Spa, Vineyards

Price on request

Thonga Beach Lodge

Manguzi

Forest biome · 60 birds recorded · Humpback whale, Southern right whale · Canoeing, Snorkelling

Price on request

La Clé Lodge & Villas

Franschhoek

Fynbos biome · Cycling

Price on request

Coot Club

Stanford

Birder friendly · Fynbos biome · 8 birds recorded · White milkwood, Southern right whale · Whale watching, Canoeing

Price on request

Ubuntu Lodge at Elephant Point

Hazyview

Savanna biome · 1 bird recorded · Leopard, Lion · Safaris, Scenic drives

Price on request

Plan a trip around these stays

Planning a trip

When and where to find the Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill

Hosts have recorded the Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill at stays in or beside Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Kruger National Park and Timbavati Private Nature Reserve.

Best hours of the day

The first hours after sunrise, and late afternoon. Birds call and feed most in the cool.
Midday. Quieter, especially in summer heat.

Where to base yourself

Ways to look

Drive yourself

Your own vehicle and pace, on the park's roads.

Where hosts record it

Kgalagadi Kruger

Guided drives from a lodge

A guide who knows where to look, with off-road and night drives in the private reserves.

Where hosts record it

Timbavati Welgevonden

Species

Tockus leucomelas

Records

2 863

iNaturalist observations

Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.

Questions travellers ask

A record means a host has seen the Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.

Which parks and reserves are best for the Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill in South Africa?

Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill at stays in or beside Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Kruger National Park, Timbavati Private Nature Reserve, Welgevonden Game Reserve and Madikwe Game Reserve. A record means a host has seen it on the property or nearby, which makes these the places to base yourself; it is never a guarantee of a sighting on any given day.

Where can you see the Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill in South Africa?

The Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill is most recorded in Mpumalanga (43% of records), Limpopo (33% of records), North West (9% of records), based on 2 863 iNaturalist observations. 19 places to stay on Spekboom in South Africa have recorded the Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill on site or nearby.

When is the best time to see the Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill?

The Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill is recorded throughout the year, so no month is the wrong month to look for it. For the parks where hosts record it most, these are the best seasons they give. Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park: Aug-Oct, flowers, Mar-May; Kruger National Park: Apr-Sep; Timbavati Private Nature Reserve: May-Sep, dry season; Welgevonden Game Reserve: May-Sep, dry season. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.