Oriental pied hornbill

Anthracoceros albirostris

Photo by Mario Widmer (Wikipedia)

Common name:
oriental pied hornbill (en); calau-de-faces-brancas (pt); calao pie (fr); cálao cariblanco (es); orienthornvogel (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Coraciiformes
Family Bucerotidae

Range:
This species is found in south-east Asia, from northern and north-eastern India, through Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmar, and into extreme southern China, Laos, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia and the Indonesian islands of Sumatra, Borneo and Java.

Size:
These birds are 55-60 cm long and weigh 600-900 g.

Habitat:
The oriental pied hornbill is mostly found in moist tropical forests, but also uses dry tropical forests, dry savannas, plantations and arable land. They are present from sea level up to an altitude of 700 m.

Diet:
They feed on fruits and small animals, namely figs, rambutan, guava, papaya, soursop and palm fruits, and small birds and eggs, small snakes, lizards, geckos, skinks, crabs, earthworms, spiders and insects.

Breeding:
These bird are monogamous. They nest in a tree cavity, where the female seals herself in leaving just a small hole for the male to provide her food. There she lays 3 eggs, which she incubates alone for 27-28 day. She feeds the chicks with food provide by the male, and in some cases may kill the weaker chick to feed the others. About 2 months after hatching the female breaks open the seal and the chicks fledge.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is reported to be the commonest Asian hornbill. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.