Wreathed Hornbill

Aceros undulatus

Status in the Wild: Threatened

Range: East India to Southwest China, Southeast Asia, Java and Bali.

Habitat: Dense evergreen forests with large trees.

Size/Weight: Length of males is 39 to 42 inches, females are somewhat smaller. Weight is approximately five pounds. Wing length is 13 to 21 inches.

Coloration: Body feathers are black and white. The sides of the head are bare and yellow on the male; blue on the female. Young initially have yellow throat patches like the males.

Diet: One of the more frugivorous hornbills, arthropods and small vertebrates are also eaten.

Reproduction: Breeding takes place in February/March. The female walls herself in a large tree cavity using available material like clay. A narrow aperture is left through which the male passes food. One to two white eggs are laid and incubated for 30 to 50 days. The young are tended to by the female, feeding them on food passed by the male. Near the end of the fledging period, the female will break out of the nest, sealing it back up. The young will break out when they are ready to fly.