African Pied Hornbill - BirdForum Opus

Photo by Steve G

Lophoceros fasciatus

Identification

54cm

• Mainly black
• White belly and tail tip
• Long curved black and yellow bill
• Medium-sized casque
  

Sexes are similar, but the female has a smaller casque
Immature birds are duller, have a smaller bill, and no casque.

Photo by xentox
Zwedru. Liberia, April 2006

Distribution

Equatorial Africa:
Western Africa: Senegambia, Senegal, The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Congo, Angola
Eastern Africa: Sudan, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania

Taxonomy

Formerly placed in the genus Tockus.

Subspecies^[1]

• L. f. semifasciatus:

• Senegambia to just east of Niger River

• L. f. fasciatus:

• Nigeria (east of Niger River) to Angola, Zaire and Uganda

Habitat

Forests and scrub.

Behaviour

Breeding

The nest is in a tree hole and 4 white eggs are laid. During incubation, the entrance is blocked leaving a small gap to enable the male to pass food through to the female and chicks. Eventually the female breaks out and rebuilds the wall. Both adults then feed the chicks.

Diet

The diet includes fruit and insects.

Vocalisation

The call is a whistling pii-pii-pii-pii-.

References

1. 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/
2. Avibase
3. Avibase

External Links

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