Von der Decken's Hornbill

Tockus deckeni

A medium-sized black-and-white hornbill. Males have a mostly red bill with a yellow or white tip; females have an all-black bill. Both sexes show a mostly black wing. Generally common in dry savanna, usually in pairs or small groups. Similar to Jackson’s and Northern Red-billed Hornbills, but separated from the former by the unspotted black wing and from the latter by the yellow-tipped (male) or all-black (female) bill. The call is a series of raspy clucks, often given as a duet by a pair. 

Identification

This species is a small hornbill with blackish upperparts and mainly whitish underparts and head. It has a long tail and a long curved bill which lacks a casque. It is similar to the red-billed hornbill except for the bill colour and the lack of spotting on the wing coverts in both male and female.<p>The species shows sexual dimorphism; the female has a black bill, whereas the male has a red bill with a cream tip and a black cutting edge.

Taxonomy

Scientific name
Tockus deckeni
Authority
(Cabanis, 1868)
Order
Bucerotiformes
Family
Bucerotidae
Genus
Tockus

Range and habitat

Migration
Resident species

Conservation

Population trend
declining

Photos

Distribution

Bird Calls

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