A dish of dry pellets is available at all times.ĭuring breeding, there is a change in the feeding program. Insects, such as mealworms, frozen crickets, and waxworms, are given at least every other day. They get a mixture of our basic softbill fruit diet (see Diet) and water-soaked softbill pellets in a 1:1 ratio. Since we only have Tockus and Bycanistes species at this time, we feed all our hornbills the same diet. ![]() Feeding Hornbillsįeeding hornbills is relativity easy with some extra attention at breeding times. Many species names are coined by the bird’s casques. Casques come in a variety of shapes and sizes and are often wrinkled or folded looking. Typically the males have larger and showier ones than the females, although both species may have them. Casques are bill growth extensions starting at the base of the upper mandible, or beak. Many species of hornbills, such as this Northern Ground Hornbill (above ) housed at the Sacramento Zoo, have casques. Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, Bucorvus abyssinicus (also known as Northern Ground Hornbill) (male) – Photo from Sacramento Zoo, CA Casques Other species differ in eye color, facial skin color, the size of the casque, and plumage. For example, the mature Red-Billed Hornbill male has a large amount of black on the lower mandible, and the Von der Deckin male has a red and cream colored bill compared to a solid black one of the female. The majority of hornbills are easily sexed visually. ![]() Red Bill Hornbill (male), Tockus erythrorhynchus Sexing Red Billed and Von der Deckin species are the most inexpensive and frequently seen, and bred, hornbills since the late 1990’s. Not only is this due to the CITES restrictions on imports, but also the fact that the Asians generally are physically larger, requiring very large aviaries, and are much more expensive.Īlthough most of the Asian hornbills are listed on CITES and illegal to import, luckily most of the African hornbills are still able to be imported. Zoos tend to have more of the Asians, while private softbillers have more of the African species. A few of the Tockus species, Bycanistes species, and ground hornbills of Africa are often available in softbill aviculture, but all of the Asian hornbills are much more difficult to find. ![]() There are basically three types of hornbills: ground, Asian, and African.
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