Monteiro's hornbill
| Monteiro's hornbill | |
|---|---|
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Bucerotiformes |
| Family: | Bucerotidae |
| Subfamily: | Bucerotinae |
| Genus: | Tockus |
| Species: | T. monteiri |
| Binomial name | |
| Tockus monteiri Hartlaub, 1865 | |
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| Distribution. | |
The Monteiro's hornbill (Tockus monteiri) is an African hornbill. It is a medium-sized bird, 54–58 cm (21–23 in) in length, characterized by a white belly, black back, with white spots on the wings and white secondary flight feathers. The outer feathers of the long tail are also white.
Females are smaller than males and can be recognized by turquoise facial skin. The eyes are black and the beak is red. Unlike other hornbills, which are omnivorous, the Monteiro's hornbill feeds exclusively on insects and other small arthropods. Its habitat is the savannah and dry thorn fields of northwest Namibia.
In springtime, Monteiro's hornbills migrate to the southern Windhoek region to nest. They are adapted to the arid environment, and drinking is not a vital necessity for them. They breed at the end of a good rainy season, laying 3 to 5 greyish-white eggs, which hatch after about 45 days. The nest is built in rocky faces or trees. The Monteiro's hornbill is a common endemic species of Namibia, with total population estimated at 340,000 individuals.
Gallery
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In Spitzkoppe (Namibia).
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References
- ↑ BirdLife International (2012). "Tockus monteiri". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 26 November 2013.
External links
- Monteiro's hornbill - Species text in The Atlas of Southern African Birds.
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