Hemprich's hornbill is a species of hornbill in the family Bucerotidae. It is found in Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, and Uganda.
Region
Horn of Africa and northern East Africa
Typical Environment
Occurs from coastal Djibouti and Eritrea south through eastern Ethiopia and Somalia, reaching northern Kenya, South Sudan, and Uganda. It favors arid and semi-arid savannas, thornscrub, and open Acacia/Balanites woodland, as well as rocky hillsides and coastal escarpments along the Red Sea. Frequently uses cliffs and rocky outcrops for roosting and nesting, and may forage in gardens and settlements. Riparian fringes and dry riverbeds are important foraging corridors in the dry season.
Altitude Range
0–2000 m
Climate Zone
Arid
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 2/5
Hemprich's hornbill nests in cavities where the female seals herself inside with a plaster of mud and droppings, leaving only a narrow slit for the male to pass food. It readily uses rocky crevices as well as tree holes and is often seen around coastal towns along the Red Sea. The species helps control insect populations and also disperses seeds from the fruits it eats.
Temperament
alert and active
Flight Pattern
strong direct flight with deep wingbeats and short glides
Social Behavior
Usually encountered in pairs or small family parties, often keeping to trees and rocky slopes. Monogamous pairs nest in cavities, with the female sealed in during incubation and early chick rearing while the male provisions her and the young. Roosting on cliffs or in large trees is common, and family groups may maintain small territories.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Gives loud cackling and chuckling series, often a accelerating kek-kek-kek that carries far in open country. Also uses grating croaks and chatter during pair contact and at roost sites.
Plumage
Dark brown to slate-grey upperparts with paler grey to whitish underparts; wings are darker with a slight gloss. Tail is dark with prominent white outer tail feathers creating striking white corners in flight. Overall appearance is slim with a long tail and contrasting pale belly.
Diet
Takes large insects such as beetles, grasshoppers, and termites, as well as spiders and scorpions. Also eats small lizards and occasional small vertebrates when available. Fruits, especially figs and other fleshy berries, form an important part of the diet seasonally. Around towns it may opportunistically pick at food scraps.
Preferred Environment
Forages in Acacia woodland, thornscrub edges, and along rocky slopes and escarpments. Frequently feeds from mid-level perches, dropping to the ground to seize prey or sallying to grab insects from foliage. In coastal areas it also visits gardens and hotel grounds with scattered trees.
