From Opus

Photo by Romy Ocon
Quezon National Park, Philippines, November 2005

Alternative names: Great Philippine Hornbill; Philippine Brown Hornbill

Buceros hydrocorax

[edit] Identification

60-65cm. A large Hornbill.

• Rufous head and underparts, darker on belly, black on face
• Brown wings
• White tail often stained pale tan
• Black based red bill with large red casque
• Yellow bare skin around eye

Females are similar but without black on base of bill and they are smaller.

[edit] Distribution

Endemic to the Philippines.
Declining in much of its range due to forest loss.

[edit] Taxonomy

Three subspecies recognized:

• B. h. hydrocorax on Luzon and Marinduque
• B. h. semigaleatus on Samar, Leyte, Bohol, Panaon, Buad, Calicoan and Biliran
• B. h. mindanensis on Dinagat, Siargao, Balut, Bucas, Talicud, Mindanao and Basilan

[edit] Habitat

Primary evergreen forest. Occurs up to 2100m.

[edit] Behaviour

Feeds mainly on fruits and seeds, takes also insects and centipedes.
Forages in the canopy.
They make their nests in tree cavities. Only females incubate the eggs. After the eggs are laid, the hole is almost completely sealed up with mud. There is only a small gap left for the male to pass the food. A co-operative breeder.

[edit] References

Clements, JF. 2011. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to August 2011. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/downloadable-clements-checklist

1. 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

[edit] External Links

• View more images of this species on Orientalbirdimages