Lophoceros fasciatus
The Congo Pied Hornbill (*Lophoceros fasciatus*) is a striking, medium-sized hornbill, typically measuring 50-60 cm (20-24 inches) in length and weighing between 300-400 grams. Its plumage is predominantly glossy black with a contrasting white belly and white tips on the outer tail feathers, a characteristic 'pied' pattern. A distinctive feature is its large, curved black bill, which sports a prominent casque, often with a yellowish base and reddish-brown coloration, especially in males. Iden...
Found primarily in tropical lowland rainforests, gallery forests, and mature secondary growth, preferring dense canopy cover. Typically occurs at elevations up to 1500 meters, though more common below 1000 meters.
Mainly frugivorous, with a strong preference for figs, but also consumes a significant amount of insects (mantises, beetles, caterpillars) and small vertebrates (lizards, tree frogs, nestlings). Forages primarily by plucking and gleaning in the canopy.
Congo Pied Hornbills are diurnal, active throughout the day foraging in the forest canopy and mid-story, and often roost communally in tall trees. Their foraging strategy involves actively gleaning insects from foliage and branches, as well as plucking fruits, particularly figs. They are generall...
The Congo Pied Hornbill has a widespread distribution across the tropical rainforest belt of West and Central Africa. Its breeding range extends from Senegal and Gambia in the west, eastwards through Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, and Cam...
Least Concern
- The female Congo Pied Hornbill seals herself inside a tree cavity using mud and feces, leaving only a small slit to receive food from the male during incubation and chick-rearing. - During her 'incarceration' period, the female undergoes a complete molt, replacing all her feathers while protect...