Rhinoceros Hornbill

Rhinoceros Hornbill
At Chester Zoo
Conservation status
Near Threatened (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Coraciiformes Family: Bucerotidae Genus: Buceros Species: B. rhinoceros
Binomial name
Buceros rhinoceros Linnaeus, 1758

The Rhinoceros Hornbill, Buceros rhinoceros, is one of the largest hornbills, adults being 110-127 cm (43-50 in) long and weigh 2-3 kg (4.4-6.6 lbs). The Rhinoceros Hornbill lives in captivity for up to 35 years. It is found in only the highest form of rain forest.

Like most other hornbills, the male has orange or red eyes, and the female has whitish eyes. This bird has a mainly white beak and casque (the tip of the casque curves upward strikingly), but there are orange places here and there. It has white underparts, especially to the tail. This bird lives in the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Java, and Borneo.

The courtship and bonding of these birds are critical, as the female must trust the male to provide her with everything when she is incubating and raising chicks. These Hornbills lay their eggs inside tree trunks, the females stay inside with the eggs, while the male will bring her and the young food. After the eggs are laid the male collects mud, and the male and female pack that mud, food, and feces to 'mud-up' the tree cavity entrance. This creates a very small hole, only large enough for the male to feed the female (and later chicks) and for the female to defecate out the hole. Once the babies are old enough (fully feathered)to leave the nest the female and male chip away the dry mud so the babies can get out. The rhinoceros hornbill eats fruit, insects, small reptiles, rodents and smaller birds.

For some Dayak people, the Rhinoceros Hornbill represents their war god, Singalang Burong. It is the state bird of the Malaysian state of Sarawak.^[1]

Gallery

Male at the National Aviary, Pittsburgh

Underside

At Chester Zoo

References

• BirdLife International (2004). Buceros rhinoceros. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 11 May 2006. Database entry includes a brief justification of why this species is near threatened
• Perrins, Christopher (ed.) (2003). Firefly Encyclopedia of Birds. Firefly Books. ISBN 1-55297-777-3. 

External links

http://www.freesound.org/samplesViewSingle.php?id=56551 Downloadable Audio file of the sounds of the Rhinoceros Hornbill

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