Black hornbill

Animal facts

The Black hornbill is a large black and white, mainly arboreal (tree dwelling) bird with a long heavy bill.

They have strong wings and short legs with stout feet.

The hornbill uses a hole in a tree as a nest. When the female is ready, she goes into the hole and is sealed in with mud, leaving a narrow slit to poke her bill through for feeding. The male brings food to her whilst she is in there. The female breaks out of the nest after almost 3 months, but the entrance is then re-sealed by the chick, which is fed for a further month inside the nest.

Where they live

Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei

Habitat

Lowland forest

What they eat

Eat fruit, grasshoppers, locusts, small reptiles and amphibians

IUCN status

Near threatened

Conservation work

Bushmeat & Forests conservation