The Rufous Hornbill also known as Philippine Hornbill and, locally, as Kalaw is a large species of 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...

.

Distribution and habitat

It is endemic to the Philippines

Philippines

The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...

, where it occurs in primary, mature secondary and disturbed forests on 11 islands: Luzon

Luzon

Luzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...

 and Marinduque

Marinduque

In 1945, combined American and Philippine Commonwealth troops attacked from the Japanese Troops liberated to the Battle of Marinduque in the Second World War.-Archaeology:...

 (race hydrocorax), Samar, Leyte, Bohol, Panaon

Panaon Island

Panaon Island,Panaon Island is a small island in the Philippines, in the province of Southern Leyte. It lies south of Leyte, separated from Dinagat to the east, and Mindanao to the southeast by Surigao Strait. The Mindanao Sea lies to the southwest....

, Biliran

Biliran Island

Biliran is a volcanic island in the central Philippines. It is one of the active volcanoes in the Philippines.*Classification: Active*Current Summit Activities: Solfataric*Province: Biliran Region VIII*Nearby Cities/Towns:...

, Calicoan and Buad (race semigaleatus), Dinagat

Dinagat Island

' is a province in the Philippines, located on the south side of Leyte Gulf. Leyte is to its west, across Surigao Strait, and Mindanao is to its south...

, Siargao, Mindanao

Mindanao

Mindanao is the second largest and easternmost island in the Philippines. It is also the name of one of the three island groups in the country, which consists of the island of Mindanao and smaller surrounding islands. The other two are Luzon and the Visayas. The island of Mindanao is called The...

 (plus Balut, Bucas and Talicud) and Basilan

Basilan (island)

Basilan Island is an island of the Philippines, it belongs to Basilan Province with its capital Isabela City.Basilan is geographically located between latitude 6°15' and 7°00' longitude 121°15' and 122°30'....

 (race mindanensis). It is still common locally, notably in the Sierra Madre

Sierra Madre (Philippines)

The Sierra Madre is a mountain range in The Philippines. It is located along the north-eastern coast of Luzon Island, running north/south. Quezon National Forest Park is situated in the range.-Geography:...

 of Luzon, but continues to suffer from substantial hunting pressure and widespread loss of habitat.

Description

The bill of the nominate subspecies is all-red, while the bills of the subspecies

Subspecies

Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...

semigaleatus and mindanensis are pale yellow on the distal half.

Behaviour

It is sometimes called "the clock of the mountains" because of its periodic noontime call.

Breeding

As with other hornbills, females seal themselves within the nest cavity, where they lay the clutch and remain with the growing young for most or all of the nesting period. In some species the male helps with the sealing process from outside the nest cavity. The nestlings and female are fed by the male through a narrow vertical slit in the sealed nest opening.