Rhinoceros Hornbill
Encyclopedia
The Rhinoceros Hornbill, Buceros rhinoceros, is one of the largest hornbill
s, adults being approximately the size of a swan, 110-127 cm (43-50 in) long and weighing 2-3 kg (4.4-6.6 lbs). The Rhinoceros Hornbill lives in captivity for up to 35 years. It is found in lowland and montane tropical/subtropical rain forest up to 1,400 metres altitude in Borneo
, Sumatra
, Java
, the Malay Peninsula
, Singapore
and southern Thailand
.
Like most other hornbills, the male has orange or red eyes, and the female has whitish eyes. This bird has a mainly white beak and casque
(the tip of the casque curves upward strikingly), but there are orange places here and there. It has white underparts, especially to the tail.
The courtship and bonding of these birds are critical, as the female must trust the male to provide her with everything when she is incubating and raising chicks. These hornbills lay their eggs inside tree trunks and the females stay inside with the eggs and then with the chicks, while the male will bring them food. After the eggs are laid, the male collects mud and the pair pack that mud, along with food and feces, to "mud-up" the tree cavity entrance. This creates a very small hole, only large enough for the male to feed the female (and later chicks) and for the female to defecate out of the hole. Once the babies are fully feathered and old enough to leave the nest, the female and male chip away the dry mud so the chicks can get out.
The Rhinoceros Hornbill eats fruit, insects, small reptiles, rodents and smaller birds.
The Rhinoceros Hornbill is the state bird of the Malaysian state of Sarawak
. For some Dayak people
, it represents their war god, Singalang Burong.
Hornbill
Hornbills are a family of bird found in tropical and subtropical Africa, Asia and Melanesia. They are characterized by a long, down-curved bill which is frequently brightly-colored and sometimes has a casque on the upper mandible. Both the common English and the scientific name of the family...
s, adults being approximately the size of a swan, 110-127 cm (43-50 in) long and weighing 2-3 kg (4.4-6.6 lbs). The Rhinoceros Hornbill lives in captivity for up to 35 years. It is found in lowland and montane tropical/subtropical rain forest up to 1,400 metres altitude in Borneo
Borneo
Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located north of Java Island, Indonesia, at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia....
, Sumatra
Sumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
, Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
, the Malay Peninsula
Malay Peninsula
The Malay Peninsula or Thai-Malay Peninsula is a peninsula in Southeast Asia. The land mass runs approximately north-south and, at its terminus, is the southern-most point of the Asian mainland...
, Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
and southern Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
.
Like most other hornbills, the male has orange or red eyes, and the female has whitish eyes. This bird has a mainly white beak and casque
Casque
Casque can refer to:* French word for helmet* An enlargement on the upper mandible of the bill of some species of birds, including many hornbills*Hornbill ivory: the casque of the Helmeted Hornbill, collected as a decorative material...
(the tip of the casque curves upward strikingly), but there are orange places here and there. It has white underparts, especially to the tail.
The courtship and bonding of these birds are critical, as the female must trust the male to provide her with everything when she is incubating and raising chicks. These hornbills lay their eggs inside tree trunks and the females stay inside with the eggs and then with the chicks, while the male will bring them food. After the eggs are laid, the male collects mud and the pair pack that mud, along with food and feces, to "mud-up" the tree cavity entrance. This creates a very small hole, only large enough for the male to feed the female (and later chicks) and for the female to defecate out of the hole. Once the babies are fully feathered and old enough to leave the nest, the female and male chip away the dry mud so the chicks can get out.
The Rhinoceros Hornbill eats fruit, insects, small reptiles, rodents and smaller birds.
The Rhinoceros Hornbill is the state bird of the Malaysian state of Sarawak
Sarawak
Sarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo. Known as Bumi Kenyalang , Sarawak is situated on the north-west of the island. It is the largest state in Malaysia followed by Sabah, the second largest state located to the North- East.The administrative capital is Kuching, which...
. For some Dayak people
Dayak people
The Dayak or Dyak are the native people of Borneo. It is a loose term for over 200 riverine and hill-dwelling ethnic subgroups, located principally in the interior of Borneo, each with its own dialect, customs, laws, territory and culture, although common distinguishing traits are readily...
, it represents their war god, Singalang Burong.