Crowned Hornbill
Encyclopedia
The Crowned Hornbill, Tockus alboterminatus, is an Africa
n hornbill
. It is a medium-sized bird, with a length between 50 and 54 cm, and it is characterized by its white belly and black back and wings. The tips of the long tail feathers are white. The eyes are yellow; the beak is red and presents a stocky casque on the upper mandible. In females, the casque is smaller.
The Crowned Hornbill can be distinguished from the similar Bradfield's Hornbill
by its shorter beak.
The Crowned Hornbill is a common resident of the coastal and riverine forests of southern (only the eastern coast) to northeastern Africa. It forages mainly in trees, where it feeds in insect
s (often caught in flight), small rodent
s and reptiles, seeds and fruits. This hornbill species can be seen in flocks, usually in the dry season. Four to five white eggs are incubated for 25 to 30 days; the juveniles remain with both parents for about 8 weeks.
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
n hornbill
Hornbill
Hornbills are a family of bird found in tropical and subtropical Africa, Asia and Melanesia. They are characterized by a long, down-curved bill which is frequently brightly-colored and sometimes has a casque on the upper mandible. Both the common English and the scientific name of the family...
. It is a medium-sized bird, with a length between 50 and 54 cm, and it is characterized by its white belly and black back and wings. The tips of the long tail feathers are white. The eyes are yellow; the beak is red and presents a stocky casque on the upper mandible. In females, the casque is smaller.
The Crowned Hornbill can be distinguished from the similar Bradfield's Hornbill
Bradfield's Hornbill
The Bradfield's Hornbill, Tockus bradfieldi, is an African Hornbill. It is a medium sized bird, with length between 50 to 57 cm, characterized by white belly, black back and wings. The tip feathers of the long tail are white....
by its shorter beak.
The Crowned Hornbill is a common resident of the coastal and riverine forests of southern (only the eastern coast) to northeastern Africa. It forages mainly in trees, where it feeds in insect
Insect
Insects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
s (often caught in flight), small rodent
Rodent
Rodentia is an order of mammals also known as rodents, characterised by two continuously growing incisors in the upper and lower jaws which must be kept short by gnawing....
s and reptiles, seeds and fruits. This hornbill species can be seen in flocks, usually in the dry season. Four to five white eggs are incubated for 25 to 30 days; the juveniles remain with both parents for about 8 weeks.