The black-casqued hornbill, or black-casqued wattled hornbill, is a species of hornbill in the family Bucerotidae. It is found fairly commonly across sub-Saharan Africa, being known from Sierra Leone and Liberia in Western Africa, south to Angola and east to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and western Uganda. They are currently considered of near threatened, and their population is declining.
Region
West and Central Africa
Typical Environment
Occurs from the Upper Guinean forests of Sierra Leone and Liberia east through Ivory Coast and Ghana to the Congo Basin, reaching western Uganda and south to Angola. It inhabits lowland evergreen and semi-deciduous rainforests, often favoring intact primary forest with abundant large fruiting trees. The species uses forest edges and tall secondary growth when fruit is available. It is strongly canopy-oriented but will descend to mid-levels to feed and travel between fruiting trees.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1800 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Also called the black-casqued wattled hornbill, this large forest hornbill relies on mature trees for nesting and fruiting figs for food. Females seal themselves inside tree cavities during nesting, leaving a narrow slit through which the male passes food. Its loud wing whoosh and deep calls carry far through the canopy. Habitat loss and hunting pressure are causing declines across parts of its West and Central African range.
Male black-casqued hornbill skeleton (Museum of Osteology)
Temperament
social and active
Flight Pattern
strong flier with deep wingbeats and audible wing whoosh
Social Behavior
Usually seen in pairs or small groups, sometimes joining mixed-species fruiting assemblages in the canopy. Forms long-term pair bonds and nests in large tree cavities; the female seals the entrance with a mixture of fruit pulp, mud, and droppings, leaving only a narrow slit. The male provisions the female and chicks until the seal is broken.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Vocalizations include deep booming notes, grunts, and cackles that carry long distances through the forest. Wing sounds are often as conspicuous as the voice when birds pass overhead.
Plumage
Mostly glossy black plumage with a contrasting white tip to the tail; feathers appear sleek and uniform. The male has a very large black casque atop the bill and an inflatable throat wattle; the female’s casque is smaller.
Diet
Primarily frugivorous, with a strong preference for figs (Ficus) and other large, lipid-rich fruits. It also takes insects and other invertebrates, and occasionally small vertebrates or eggs, especially when feeding nestlings. By swallowing fruits whole and regurgitating seeds, it acts as an important seed disperser in tropical forests.
Preferred Environment
Feeds high in the canopy at fruiting trees, often moving along forest ridges and river corridors. Will utilize forest edges and tall secondary growth when fruit crops are abundant, and may visit plantations with large fruiting trees.
