Narcondam Hornbill - BirdForum Opus

Artwork by bru.b
Female

Rhyticeros narcondami

Aceros narcondami

Identification

At 45-50cm one of the smaller Hornbills, looks like a small version of Papuan Hornbill.

• Black body
• White tail
• Male has rufous head and neck with a shaggy crest
• Female with black head and neck
• Bill yellowish-white with dark crimson base
• Wreathed casque yellow and blackish-brown
• Throat bluish-white
• Skin around eye blue, eyering red
• Juveniles similar to male but with smaller bill and without casque

Distribution

	Endemic to the small island of Narcondam in the Bay of Bengal, east of the Andamans in India. The entire population is estimated at about 300 birds. The island is a wildlife reserve but the small population still suffers from illegal hunting and habitat loss.
	Legend • R. narcondami; year-round Maps/Texts consulted1,2,3,4,5

Taxonomy

Was treated conspecific with Papuan Hornbill. As other Aceros species it's sometimes included in the genus Rhyticeros.

Habitat

Found in mixed evergreen and deciduous forest, from sea-level up to the highest point of the island at 750m.

Behaviour

Feed mainly on fruit, prefering figs. Up to 50 birds have been seen together at a fruiting tree.
Breeding season from February to April. 2 eggs are laid in a nest cavity and are incubated by the female who is fed by the male.

Resident.

References

1. Rasmussen, PC and JC Anderton. 2005. Birds of South Asia: The Ripley Guide. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8487334672
2. Grimmett, R, C Inskipp, and T Inskipp. 1998. Birds of the Indian Subcontinent. London: Christopher Helm. ISBN 978-0713640045
3. Kazmierczak, K and B van Perlo. 2000. A Field Guide to the Birds of the Indian Subcontinent. New Haven: Yale Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0300079210
4. Kazmierczak, K and R Singh. 2001. A Birdwatcher's Guide to India. New Dehli: India Oxford Univ. Press. ISBN 978-1871104080
5. 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

• List of references

Recommended Citation

• BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Narcondam Hornbill. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 20 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Narcondam_Hornbill

External Links

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