The black hornbill is a species of bird of the hornbill family Bucerotidae. It lives in Asia in Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand.
Region
Sundaland (Malay Peninsula, Borneo, Sumatra, and adjacent islands)
Typical Environment
Occurs in lowland primary and older secondary rainforests across southern Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia (Borneo, Sumatra, Natuna), and adjacent areas. It favors tall dipterocarp forests, peat-swamp forests, and forest edges with abundant fruiting trees. The species depends on large, mature trees for nesting cavities and is sensitive to heavy logging. It can persist in selectively logged forests if large fruiting trees and cavities remain.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1200 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Black hornbills are key seed dispersers in Southeast Asian rainforests, especially for figs (Ficus). Females seal themselves into tree cavities during nesting, leaving only a narrow slit through which the male passes food. Their wingbeats produce an audible whooshing sound that can be heard before the birds are seen.
Female at Kuala Lumpur Bird Park, Malaysia
Temperament
wary and forest-adapted; generally shy of disturbance
Flight Pattern
strong flier with heavy, deliberate wingbeats and audible whooshing
Social Behavior
Usually encountered in pairs or small family groups; forms larger gatherings at fruiting trees. Pairs maintain long-term bonds. Nests in large tree cavities; the female seals the entrance with mud and fruit pulp, leaving a narrow slit, and is fed by the male throughout incubation and chick-rearing.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Vocalizations include loud honks, cackles, and grating calls that carry through the canopy. Wing noise is a distinctive non-vocal cue when birds fly overhead.
