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Yellow-billed Hornbill
Yellow-billed Hornbills
Bird. Yellow-billed hornbills prefer to forage on the ground, but they will also hop up into trees and bushes. They are not picky eaters, taking whatever they can find. They nest in holes in trees, and like other hornbills, the female seals herself in until the young are old enough to begin feeding themselves. They use millipedes in their nests, and it is thought that secretions from the insects might help protect the mother and young from bacteria. Unlike its cousins, the yellow-billed hornbill does not have a large casque over its bill. A casque is hard cartilage that protects like a helmet.
Scientific Name Lifespan
Tockus flavirostris Up to 20 or so years
Omnivore. Fruit, seeds, leaves, insects, small mammals, lizards and snakes.
Predators and Threats
Crowned eagles, leopards, chimpanzees, and humans.
Unlike its forest cousins, this hornbill prefers dry and semi-arid areas of Sub-Saharan Africa. One species is found in Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia. Another is found mostly in South Africa.