Anthracoceros malayanus
The Black Hornbill (Anthracoceros malayanus) is a striking, medium-sized hornbill native to the evergreen and swamp forests of Southeast Asia. Reaching lengths of 59-65 cm (23-26 inches) with a wingspan of approximately 90-100 cm (35-39 inches) and weighing around 800-1100 grams (1.7-2.4 lbs), both sexes are predominantly glossy black with a distinctive, pure white tail tip, a key field mark. Males feature a large, creamy-white to yellowish bill adorned with a prominent, high-set casque, ofte...
This hornbill primarily inhabits lowland and submontane evergreen broadleaf forests, including primary rainforests, secondary growth, and swamp forests. It is typically found at elevations ranging from sea level up to 1,200 meters (3,900 feet), occasionally higher.
The Black Hornbill's diet consists predominantly of fruits, particularly figs, supplemented by a variety of insects, arachnids, small reptiles, and occasionally nestlings or eggs. It forages primarily in the forest canopy, gleaning items from branches or hawking insects in flight.
Black Hornbills are diurnal, often observed singly or in pairs, though small groups may gather at abundant food sources or communal roosts. Foraging involves arboreal gleaning and hawking, meticulously searching tree branches for fruits and insects. They are monogamous and highly territorial duri...
The Black Hornbill is a resident species found throughout the Malay Peninsula, including southern Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, and Singapore. Its distribution extends southward across Sumatra and its offshore islands, as well as Borneo, encompassing the Malaysian states of Sarawak and Sabah, Br...
Near Threatened
- The female Black Hornbill seals herself into a tree cavity with mud and her own droppings during nesting, relying entirely on the male for food for several months. - This "nest-sealing" behavior protects the eggs and chicks from predators like snakes and monkeys. - The male brings hundreds of f...