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Silvery-cheeked Hornbill
Montane forest, fig tree canopy and tall riverine woodland
Habitat
Year round
Best Viewing Season
Least Concern
Conservation Status
Introduction
The largest forest hornbill on the northern circuit, the silvery-cheeked hornbill commands attention with its heavy casque and whooshing wingbeats through the montane canopy. Females seal themselves inside tree cavities for months while the male feeds them through a slit. Arusha National Park's fig forests are the premier sighting location.
Behaviour & Facts
The silvery-cheeked hornbill is the largest forest hornbill on the northern circuit and one of the most impressive birds you will see in the highland canopy. It is a big, heavy bird with a black body, silvery grey cheeks, and a large cream-coloured casque on top of the bill that gives it a prehistoric appearance. In flight the wingbeats produce a loud whooshing sound audible from a considerable distance. They are primarily frugivores, specialising in figs and other soft-fleshed forest fruits. A single bird can eat over 100 figs in a day, and flocks will travel several kilometres between fruiting trees. This makes them one of the most important large seed dispersers in East African montane forest. The trees they depend on depend equally on them. Their most remarkable behaviour is the nesting strategy. The female seals herself inside a tree cavity using mud, droppings and fruit pulp, leaving only a narrow slit through which the male feeds her for the entire incubation and early chick-rearing period, roughly three to four months. She moults all her flight feathers while sealed inside and is completely dependent on the male.
Jack Fleckney - Legend Head Guide
Outside the breeding season, silvery-cheeked hornbills form communal roosts that can number over 100 birds. These roosts are in tall trees at traditional sites used year after year. The evening flight to roost is noisy and conspicuous, with groups of birds crossing the sky in loose formation with their heavy wingbeats. Their call is a loud, deep braying that carries across the forest. Combined with the whooshing wings, a group of hornbills arriving at a fig tree is one of the most atmospheric wildlife moments in the highland parks. On the northern circuit, Arusha National Park is the strongest location. The tall montane forest around the Momella Lakes and on the lower slopes of Mount Meru holds a strong resident population. The Ngorongoro forest rim and Lake Manyara's groundwater forest also hold them. They are absent from the Serengeti and Tarangire because the habitat is too open.
Where to see
Silvery-cheeked Hornbill
in Tanzania
Where to see hornbills in Tanzania?
Arusha National Park is the most reliable location on the northern circuit. The tall montane forest holds a strong resident population and sightings are common around fruiting fig trees. The Ngorongoro forest rim and Lake Manyara's groundwater forest also hold them. They are not found in the open Serengeti or Tarangire.
Why do female hornbills seal themselves in?
The sealed cavity protects the female, eggs and chicks from predators, especially snakes and monkeys, during the vulnerable incubation and early chick-rearing period. The female moults her flight feathers while inside and is completely dependent on the male for food. She breaks out after roughly three to four months when the chick is ready to fledge.
What do silvery-cheeked hornbills eat?
They are primarily frugivores, with figs making up the largest part of the diet. They also eat other soft forest fruits, insects and occasionally small lizards. A single bird can consume over 100 figs in a day. Their fruit eating makes them critical seed dispersers for montane forest tree species.
What is the casque on the bill?
The casque is a hollow bony structure on top of the upper bill. In silvery-cheeked hornbills it is cream coloured and prominent. Its exact function is debated but it likely plays a role in sound amplification, species recognition and possibly thermoregulation. It gives the bird its distinctive prehistoric profile.
How big are silvery-cheeked hornbills?
They are large birds, roughly 75 to 80 centimetres long with a wingspan of around 50 centimetres. Males are slightly larger than females. They are the biggest hornbill species you will see in the highland forests of the northern circuit. The casque adds additional height to the head profile.
Do hornbills live in flocks?
Outside the breeding season they form communal roosts of up to 100 or more birds and travel in loose groups between fruiting trees during the day. During the breeding season pairs become more solitary and focused on their nest cavity. The evening flight to roost is one of the most conspicuous bird spectacles in the highland parks.
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