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Sulawesi Hornbill - BirdForum Opus

Alternative names: Sulawesi Tarictic Hornbill; Celebes Hornbill; Sulawesi Dwarf-Hornbill; Temminck's Hornbill

Male ssp sanfordi
Photo © by martinuk
Karaenta, Makassar, Sulawesi Selatan, Indonesia, October, 2009
Rhabdotorrhinus exarhatus

Identification

Female
Photo © by darwin1601
Tangkoko, Sulawesi, Indonesia, December 2018

45 cm (17¾ in) A small, black Hornbill.

  • Black plumage with green gloss on back
  • Male with white facial and throat plumage, stained yellow
  • Bill pale yellow, black base at lower mandible, sanfordi with pale creamy yellow ridges across lower mandible
  • Female smaller, all black plumage and blacker bill and casque

Juveniles with smaller bill, undeveloped casque

Distribution

Endemic to Sulawesi, Indonesia.
Locally common, however loss of lowland forest has fragmented its range.

Taxonomy

Subspecies

There are two subspecies of the Sulawesi Hornbill[1]:

  • R. e. exarhatus in north Sulawesi
  • R. e. sanfordi in central, east and south Sulawesi, Buton and Muna Island

Has been treated conspecific with the other species of its former genus Penelopides.

Habitat

Tropical lowland, swamps and primary forests.
Mostly below 650m, sometimes up to 1100m.

Behaviour

Diet

The diet includes fruits, figs and insects.

Breeding

Breeding starts from March to April, breeds in pairs, sometimes co-operative in small groups. The female seals herself inside a tree hole for egg-laying. During this time, the male will provide food for the female and the young. Lays 2-3 eggs.

Movements

A sedentary and territorial species.

References

  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
  2. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2018. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2018. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/

Recommended Citation

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