Rhinoceros Hornbill

Buceros rhinoceros

Rhinohornbill Gallery

About the Rhinoceros Hornbill

Class: Aves
Order: Bucerotiformes
Family: Buceritodae
Genus: Buceros
Species: rhinioceros

Hornbills have what appears to be a second beak, or “horn,” growing out of their forehead, hence the name “hornbill.” This horn is actually a casque—a hollow structure made of keratin. It's believed that the purpose of the casque is to act like a megaphone and amplify the male hornbill's mating call.

Rhinoceros Hornbill Facts

Appearance:

Rhinoceros hornbills can weigh upwards of 6 pounds and measure almost 3 feet long. They have black feathers on their bodies and white feathers on their legs. Their tails are white with a black band. Both the beak and casque are orange and red in color.

Diet:

Hornbills eat mostly fruits, but will occasionally eat insects and small animals.

Reproduction:

The female hornbills lays her eggs in a hollow tree cavity, and with help from the male, seals herself and her eggs inside with a paste made of fruit, mud and feces. Only a small slit is left open so that the male can pass food to the female (and later, the chicks) for four to five months. The female breaks herself out when the chicks are old enough, but the male and female seal the chicks back up again for several more months until the chicks are old and strong enough to break out of the nest on their own.

Behavior:

Rhinoceros hornbills spend most of their time high up in the canopy of tropical forests. Their large wingspans and long tail feathers allow them to gracefully fly from one branch to another. Hornbills typically mate for life.

Habitat/Range:

Hornbills live in large trees in tropical rainforests in several countries in Southeast Asia, including Indonesia, Thailand, Sumatra, and Malaysia.

Median Life Expectancy:

35 years

Fun Fact:

The rhinoceros hornbill is the national bird of Malaysia.

You Can Find This Animal in the Windows to the Wild

Fun Fact

Adult pairs are monogamous, and the male courts the female for about one month prior to breeding. During this time he will present her with offerings of food. They plaster over a tree cavity to build their nest, leaving only a small hole so the male can feed the female while she sits on the eggs.

Supporting Species Survival

Zoo New England participates in the rhinoceros hornbill Species Survival Plan. By sharing research and knowledge, participating institutions work together to establish guidelines that best ensure the health of captive populations, and with success, the survival of otherwise extinct species.