More Borneo Wildlife Photos at C.S.Ling Photo Galleryįor Rhinoceros Hornbill photo license and media enquiries, please contact C.S.Ling here. Rhinoceros Hornbill is listed as Vulnerable on Red List. I am so glad to share this awe-inspiring moment with all of my workshop participants on this day. It was AMAZING… I’ve travelled to Borneo close to 20 times now and it just never fails to amaze and surprise me every time. I could clearly hear the whooshing sound of every wing beat. The most memorable moment for me was when the hornbill flew overhead. It was almost as if the hornbill knew we were photographing him, as he proudly shows off it’s beautiful bright orange casque, which kinda reminds me of the prehistoric dinosaur. These majestic birds used to inhabit the forest of Singapore a long time ago but with the progress of civilisation, and the resultant habitat loss, they’ve become extinct locally. Reproduction and Breeding The male hornbill begins courtship by bringing and offering food to his selected female. It is also hunted for its bill and tail feathers, which are used in ceremonial dress, and is captured for trade and food.Rhinoceros Hornbill – one of the largest hornbill in the world, up close on Kinabatangan River in Borneo. Rhinoceros Hornbills play an important role in the dispersal of figs and other large fruits because they eat the entire fruit, including the seeds, and then fly long distances before dispersing the seeds in their feces. Reduction in numbers in many areas is due to the cutting of forests for agriculture and timber. Status: Currently a CITES Appendix II species, and categorized as near threatened on the IUCN Red List. Habitat/range: Rhinoceros hornbills live in extensive areas of primary evergreen and tall secondary forest (up to 4,593 feet or 1,400 m) in Thailand, Malaysia and Sumatra. The female will molt during this time period in the nest. Chicks emerge after 39-51 days and fledge in 78-80 days. One or two eggs are usually incubated 37-46 days. This protects the female and eggs from predators. Together the pair “wall” the female in the nest with mud the male leaves a small hole through which he uses his long beak to pass food to the female (and hatchlings). Reproduction: The female nests in natural cavities 30- 49 feet (9-15 m) up in tall trees. Rounded wings make flight more difficult and extremely noisy (“whooshing” wing-beats sound like an overloaded locomotive). This loud, harsh vocalization can often be heard between pairs and often have a sharper note used for flight take- offs. They are fairly easy to locate due to their habits, size and sounds.ĭiet: Rhinoceros hornbills mainly feed on fruits (preferably figs) but also eat arthropods, lizards, tree frogs, and bird eggs.Ĭommunication: The large, bony, light-weight casque amplifies the honking squawk Rhinoceros hornbills use to communicate. Males often feed females, even during non-breeding seasons. Females weigh 4.5-5.1 pounds (2-2.3 kg).īehavior: During non-breeding seasons, rhinoceros hornbills can be seen foraging in pairs or small flocks. Size: Rhinoceros hornbills are very large birds. In addition to being smaller in size, female Rhinoceros hornbills have smaller casques with no black base and their red-rimmed eyes are white. The natural color of the casque and bill is creamy white but they become cosmetically colored by rubbing them against a gland beneath the tail, which exudes an orangish- red oil. Eyes of the male are red with black rims. The large bill and casque are yellow and orange-red (black at the base in males) bill is slightly recurved with upturned casque atop the base of the bill. Description: The head, back, breast and wings of the rhinoceros hornbill are black thighs and vent are white.
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