Chirping with Kloof Conservancy – Crowned Hornbill

THE Crowned Hornbill is a relatively common resident in the Upper Highway area and, at first glance or from a distance, it can be confused with the Trumpeter Hornbill. On closer examination, its smaller size and orange/red bill easily sets it apart. These are the only hornbills that are common in our area. The much larger and easily identified Southern Ground Hornbill is a rare visitor.

Description This medium-sized 50 to 54 cm bird is black to dark brown with a red/orange bill and a white belly. White corners of the tail are conspicuous in flight. Males and females are very similar, however the male has a lager casque in top of the bill. The casque is a lot less conspicuous than that of the Trumpeter Hornbill.It can be confused with the Bradfield’s Hornbill where the range overlaps in Zimbabwe, but this bird does not occur in South Africa.

Behaviour Crowned Hornbills are often found in forests and sparsely wooded areas. It is common in coastal and riverine forests and also frequents gardens and parks in urban areas. It typically moves around in pairs or small family groups. The call is a series of loud high pitched whistling notes, very different from the Trumpeter Hornbill?s crying baby call.

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Diet It forages mainly in trees, where it feeds on insects (often caught in flight), small rodents, small reptiles, seeds and fruit.

Breeding: It is a monogamous species and mates for life. A breeding pair is territorial and will nest in a hole in the trunk of a large tree. Two to five eggs are laid between October to November and are incubated for 25 to 27 days with a nestling/fledgling period of about 50 days. Parents and chicks remain as a family group until the next breeding season.

Distribution It is common in coastal and riverine forests along the east coast of southern Africa right up to the DRC.

Threat: The Crowned Hornbill is very common in its preferred habitat throughout its range. The population is considered stable, although some local populations may be threatened due to afforestation. There are no perceived threats at large and it is listed as least concern in the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List.

ALSO READ: Chirping with Kloof Conservancy – African Hoopoe

Interesting facts As with other hornbills, its nesting behaviour is near unique. The female confines herself to the nest for the incubation and part of the nestling period, and becomes totally dependent on the male for food during this time. She seals herself in the nest cavity with nest material and faeces and leaves a small narrow slit through which the male can pass food. While confined, she undergoes a complete moult of her wing and tail feathers and becomes temporally flightless. She defecates through the narrow slit in the nest and pushes the moult feathers out.

The feathers on the ground provide a sign that the nest is occupied. When the oldest chick is 25 to 30 days old, she breaks out. The chicks then reseal the entrance and the female also assists with feeding. The chicks break out a few weeks later. To support their heavy bills, hornbills have developed strong muscles as well as fused vertebrae in their neck, which is a unique feature among birds. This is why their necks are thicker than the average bird. Hornbills also distinguish themselves by being among a very small group of birds with eyelashes.

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