Western red-billed hornbill

The western red-billed hornbill is a species of hornbill in the family Bucerotidae. It is found from Senegal and Gambia to southern Mauritania and western Mali. There are five species of red-billed hornbills generally recognized now, but all five were once considered conspecific. Some authorities still categorize the group as Tockus erythrorhynchus with the remaining four as its subspecies

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Distribution

Region

West Africa

Typical Environment

Occurs from coastal and inland Senegal and The Gambia east to southern Mauritania and western Mali, mainly in dry savanna and open woodland. It favors thorn scrub, lightly wooded parklands with scattered trees, and gallery woodland along rivers. The species also uses agro-pastoral mosaics and village edges where large trees remain. It generally avoids dense rainforest and true desert, keeping to ecotones and open habitats with available nest cavities.

Altitude Range

0–1500 m

Climate Zone

Tropical

Characteristics

Size42–48 cm

Wing Span50–60 cm

Male Weight0.24 kg

Female Weight0.22 kg

Life Expectancy10 years

Ease of Keeping

Beginner friendly: 2/5

Useful to know

This small hornbill of West Africa was once lumped with other red-billed hornbills but is now widely recognized as a distinct species. Like other hornbills, the female seals herself inside a tree cavity during nesting, leaving only a narrow slit through which the male passes food. It is an important controller of insect populations in savanna landscapes and readily adapts to lightly modified habitats.

Gallery

Behaviour

Temperament

social and alert

Flight Pattern

short rapid wingbeats with low, undulating hops between trees

Social Behavior

Usually seen in pairs or small family groups, sometimes loosely associating with mixed-species foraging parties. Monogamous pairs nest in natural tree cavities; the female seals the entrance with mud and droppings, leaving a slit. The male provisions the female and chicks until they break out, after which the family continues to be fed for a time.

Migratory Pattern

Resident

Song Description

Calls are a series of clucking notes, chattering rattles, and sharp piping whistles. Vocalizations carry well across open savanna and are used for mate contact and territory advertisement.

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Identification

Comb Type

Plumage Description

Feather Color

Leg Color

Earlobe Color

Eye Color

Feeding Habits

Diet

Preferred Environment

Requires Supplement

Population

Conservation Status

Species Status

Wild Population

Total Known Population

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