Alternative name: Papuan Hornbill; Papuan Wreathed Hornbill
- Rhyticeros plicatus
Aceros plicatus
Identification
65–85 cm 25.6-33.5 inches, male 1190–2000 g, female 1500–2000 g.
A medium to large black Hornbill with white tail. The only Hornbill in it's range, making identification easy.
Male
- Head and neck reddish brown vary within range from east to west from deep reddish brown to a more yellowish gold
- Beak light yellow with a dark brown base
- Casque is wreathlike with yellow and brown weaves
- Bare skin on face and throat is bluish white
- Iris and eyering red
Female
- Smaller wingspan (wing 357–410 mm compared to 398–440 mm) than male in western New Guinea
- Head and neck black
- Beak has less black around the base
- Eyes are duller than males
Juvenile
- Similar to male
- Beak smaller
- No casque
- Light blue facial skin
- Grey brown eye
- The casque is often the last feature to develop when reaching adulthood
Distribution
New Guinea, West Papua islands, Yapen, D'Entrecasteaux, the Moluccas and the Solomon Islands. Common.
Taxonomy
====Subspecies There are 6 subspecies[1]====
- R. p. ruficollis:
- Northern Moluccas and western New Guinea
- R. p. plicatus:
- Southern Moluccas (Kelang, Seram and Ambon)
- R. p. jungei:
- Eastern New Guinea; vagrant to Fergusson Island (D'Entrecasteaux Archaepelago)
- R. p. dampieri:
- Bismarck Archaepelago (New Hanover, New Ireland and New Britain)
- R. p. harterti:
- Solomon Islands (Buka, Bougainville, Fauro and Shortland Islands)
- R. p. mendanae:
- North-western and central Solomon Islands (Choiseul and Vella Lavella south to Malaita and Guadalcanal)
This species was previously placed in the genus Aceros.
Habitat
Primary and secondary tropical evergeen forest, deciduous riverine and freshwater swamp forest. Found up to 1500 m, rarely to 1800 m.
Behaviour
In flight they are heard from a long distance as the wings make a swoooosh sound with every beat and that's what makes them an easy target for hunters (besides the loud noise they make when feeding).
Diet
The diet consists of fruit, vertebrates and insects.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2015. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2015, with updates to August 2015. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Blyth's Hornbill. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 28 December 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Blyth%27s_Hornbill
