DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT
This hornbill lives in eastern Africa. It prefers dry, arid conditions, including scrublands, savannas and open bush habitats.
BEHAVIOUR
It is non-migratory bird. The hornbill is active during the day. It forages for food on the ground. Sometimes it drops down on prey from perches above.
DIET
They eat insects: grasshoppers, locusts, beetles and their larvae, termites, and ants. They also search for snails, mice, nestling birds, lizards, and frogs, and forage for berries and seeds.
REPRODUCTION
During the mating season the male finds a hole and brings mud to brick its entrance. The female does the mudding using mud and feces. When the construction is almost finished, the female enters the nest, stays inside, incubetes the eggs and the takes care for chicks. During this time, the male feeds the female through
a narrow vertical slit in the hollow.
GOOD TO KNOW
This species lives in mutualism with mongooses. Mongooses scare away insects for the hornbill, while the bird alerts mammals about the impending danger.
- Latin name: Tockus deckeni
- IUCN –Red List – LC – least concern
- ESB – European Studbook
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