- Lophoceros hemprichii
Tockus hemprichii
Identification
50 - 58cm (19¾-22¾ in). A small, dark brown hornbill.
- Brown upperparts with creamy edged and tipped feathers
- White belly
- Dark brown tail with white third and fourth feathers
- Dark red bill
- Black bare throat skin
Females are smaller, have a black base on to the lower mandible and pale green bare throat skin.
Juveniles have a sooty-brown bill.
Similar species
Similar to Crowned Hornbill but note creamy edges above, all-white tail feathers, dark eyes and deeper red bill whithout yellow basal line.
Distribution
Eastern Africa: found from Ethiopia to north-western Kenya and Uganda.
Widespread and common in Ethiopia, uncommon in the rest of its range.
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species.[2]
Birds of northern Kenya were formerly separated as subspecies exsul.
Formerly placed in the genus Tockus.
Habitat
Found along wooded watercourses in hilly areas and along gorges. Up to 4300m.
Behaviour
Diet
Feeds mainly on insects. Takes also lizards, chameleons, some fruits, figs and berries.
Forages among the foliage or by hawking flying insects. Searches for termites on the ground.
Breeding
Breeding little known. Nests in a naturla hole in a rock face, the side of a ravine, in old buildings or in a tree cavity. The female seals the nest. Lays 3 eggs.
Movements
Resident in most of its range, some movements to lowlands recorded.
References
- Del Hoyo, J, A Elliot, and J Sargatal, eds. 2001. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 6: Mousebirds to Hornbills. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8487334306
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2017. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2017, with updates to August 2017. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Avibase
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Hemprich's Hornbill. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 27 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Hemprich%27s_Hornbill
External Links
