Red-billed Hornbill

During incubation, the female lays three to six white eggs in a tree hole, which is blocked off with a plaster of mud, droppings and fruit pulp. There is only one narrow aperture, just big enough for the male to transfer food to the mother and the chicks.

The Red-billed Hornbill is classified as Least Concern. Does not qualify for a more at risk category. Widespread and abundant taxa are included in this category.

Red-billed Hornbill (Tockus erythrorhynchus) is a relatively small species of hornbill found in savanna and woodland of sub-Saharan Africa. It is sometimes split into five species, the Northern Red-billed Hornbill (T. erythrorhynchus), Western Red-billed Hornbill (T. kempi), Tanzania Red-billed Hornbill (T. ruahae), Southern Red-billed Hornbill (T. rufirostris) and Damara Red-billed Hornbill (T. damarensis), but at present most authorities considered them all to be subspecies of a single species. More

English: African red-billed hornbill, South African red-billed hornbill, Damaraland red-billed hornbill; French: Calao à bec rouge; German: Rotschnabeltoko; Spanish: Toco Piquirorojo. PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS 13.8 in (35 cm); female 0.2–0.44 lb (90–200 g), male 0.27–0.48 lb (124–220 g). Small, black and white with spotted wing coverts; long slender red bill with small casque. DISTRIBUTION T. e. erythrorhynchus: Niger Delta to Ethiopia and Somalia, south to Tanzania; T. e. kempi: Southern Mauritania, Senegal to Niger Delta; T. More

The Red-billed hornbill inhabits the African tree and bush savanna. BEHAVIOR: Red-billed hornbills usually occur in pairs or small parties. They are sedentary and defend a permanent territory that may range up to 25 acres. Short wings and a direct flight support their terrestrial foraging. They utter clucking calls with the head bowed and the wings slightly opened during display. DIET: These birds are omnivorous, taking both plant and animal food. More

Red-billed hornbills have a thin, red bill and pale head with dark gray, neck and white face. Their body is sooty brown with white stripe down center, white belly, black with white spotted primaries, and black tail. Males and females are similar in appearance, but males are slightly larger. MALE text FEMALE text SIZE: 50-60 cm (19-24 in. More

Red-billed Hornbills are regularly preyed upon by large raptors and sometimes taken by puff adders. It was probably the first hornbill to be bred in captivity (1928). A captive male survived for at least 18 years. Hornbills were known to early classical writers such as Pliny (23-79AD). STATUS IN THE WILD: Although Red-billed Hornbills are found over an enormous region, they are not evenly distributed. They may be locally abundant. More

Red-billed Hornbills becomes quite tame around human habitation and can frequently be seen around (or in) lodge restaurants at meal-times. More

Red-billed Hornbill (Tockus erythrorhynchus) is a hornbill. Hornbills are a family of tropical near-passerine birds found in the Old World. The Red-billed Hornbill is a common resident breeder in much of sub-Saharan Africa. During incubation, the female lays three to six white eggs in a tree hole, which is blocked off with a plaster of mud, droppings and fruit pulp. There is only one narrow aperture, just big enough for the male to transfer food to the mother and the chicks. More

Distribution of Red-billed hornbill in southern Africa, based on statistical smoothing of the records from first SA Bird Atlas Project (© Animal Demography unit, University of Cape Town; smoothing by Birgit Erni and Francesca Little). Colours range from dark blue (most common) through to yellow (least common). See here for the latest distribution from the SABAP2. More

The Red-billed Hornbill is a common resident breeder in much of sub-Saharan Africa. During incubation, the female lays three to six white eggs in a tree hole, which is blocked off with a plaster of mud, droppings and fruit pulp. There is only one narrow aperture, just big enough for the male to transfer food to the mother and the chicks. Red-billed Hornbill (Tockus erythrorhynchus) is a hornbill. Hornbills are a family of tropical near-passerine birds found in the Old World. More