Von der Decken's Hornbill
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| Tockus deckeni (Cabanis, 1869) |
Von der Decken's Hornbill (Tockus deckeni) is a hornbill. Hornbills are a family of tropical near-passerine birds found in the Old World.
Von der Decken's Hornbill is a common resident breeder in eastern Africa, especially to the east of the Rift Valley, from Ethiopia south to Tanzania, mainly in thorn scrub and similar arid habitats.
During incubation, the female lays two or three white eggs in a tree hole, which is blocked off with a cement made of mud, droppings and fruit pulp. There is only one narrow aperture, just big enough for the male to transfer food to the mother and the chicks.
When the chicks and the female are too big to fit in the nest, the mother breaks out and rebuilds the wall, then both parents feed the chicks.
This species is a small hornbill which has mainly whitish underparts and head and blackish upperparts. It has a long tail and a long curved bill which lacks a casque. Sexes are similar, but the female has a black bill, whereas the male's bill is red and cream.
It is similar to the Red-billed Hornbill except for the bill colour, and the lack of spotting on the wing coverts in both male nor female.
Von der Decken's Hornbill is omnivorous, taking insects, fruit and seeds. It feeds mainly on the ground and will form flocks outside the breeding season.
This bird was named after the German explorer Baron Karl von der Decken (1833-1865).
[edit] References
- BirdLife International (2004). Tockus deckeni. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 11 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
