Southern Red-billed Hornbill

Overview

The southern red-billed hornbill (Tockus rufirostris) is a species of hornbill native to the savannas and dryer bushlands of southern Africa. It is replaced by the Damara red-billed hornbill in the arid woodlands of western Namibia.

Identification

• Distinguishable from other red-billed hornbills by the combination of a yellow iris and pale orbital skin ranging from pink to greyish.
• Features ample blackish plumage streaking from the ear coverts to the side of the neck, a white throat, and clearly spotted wing coverts.
• Males are larger and heavier than females, with longer bills where the lower mandible may be coloured black to a variable extent.
• The call consists of an accelerating series of notes, 'kuk kuk kuk...', which ends in a crescendo of double notes, 'kuk-we kuk-we'.

Habitat

Found in savannas and dryer bushlands across a range extending from Malawi and Zambia to southern Angola, northeastern Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, eastern Eswatini, and northern South Africa. It occurs in the upper Zambezi valley of Mozambique but is mostly absent from the eastern lowlands.

Did you know?

Unlike other red-billed hornbills, the southern red-billed hornbill does not raise its wings during display.