Sudan hornbill

Sudan hornbill

It reaches a body length of around 100 cm and a weight of approx. 4 kg. The plumage of the Sudan hornbill is completely black in colour, except for the white hand wings. The horn or helmet at the base of the beak, which gives it its name, and the blue-red face and neck colouring are characteristic.

Nutrition

The Sudan hornbill feeds on a variety of small vertebrates and invertebrates. These include tortoises, lizards, snakes, rodents, spiders and insects. It also does not disdain carrion and supplements its diet with fruits, seeds and nuts. The Sudan hornbill forages on the ground, usually in pairs or small groups of conspecifics. It uses its wings almost exclusively to fly away in case of danger.

Distribution

The Sudan Hornbill's distribution area is in Africa, in a strip south of the Sahara.

The habitat of the Sudan Hornbill is savannahs, grasslands and semi-deserts at an altitude of up to 3200 metres above sea level.

The Sudan hornbill's breeding season is between June and January. The nest is usually a cave in a tree or between rocks. It favours caves in old baobab trees. The clutch usually consists of two eggs, which are incubated exclusively by the female for around 40 days. The newly hatched young are then fed by both parents until they are ready to fledge after 80 to 90 days.

The population of the Sudan hornbill is not currently categorised as endangered. It has an extremely large distribution area and is quite common in most regions. It benefits from the fact that it is regarded as a sacred bird in many countries and is therefore not hunted.