Family Bucerotidae Phylum Chordata Rank Species | Subfamily Bucerotinae Scientific name Buceros hydrocorax Higher classification Buceros | |
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Similar Hornbill, Bird, Buceros, Visayan hornbill, Writhed hornbill | ||
Rufous hornbill kalaw
The rufous hornbill (Buceros hydrocorax), also known as the Philippine hornbill and locally as kalaw (pronounced kah-lau), is a large species of hornbill.
Contents
- Rufous hornbill kalaw
- Rufous hornbill perch outside for sunshine
- Distribution and habitat
- Description
- Behaviour
- Breeding
- References
Rufous hornbill perch outside for sunshine
Distribution and habitat
It is endemic to the Philippines, where it occurs in primary, mature secondary and disturbed forests on 11 islands: Luzon and Marinduque (race hydrocorax), Samar, Leyte, Bohol, Panaon, Biliran, Calicoan and Buad (race semigaleatus), Dinagat, Siargao, Mindanao (plus Balut, Bucas and Talicud) and Basilan (race mindanensis). It is still common locally, notably in the Sierra Madre of Luzon, but continues to suffer from substantial hunting pressure and widespread loss of habitat.
Description
The bill of the nominate subspecies is entirely red, while the bill of the subspecies semigaleatus and mindanensis are pale yellow on the distal half.
Behaviour
It is sometimes called "the clock of the mountains" because of its periodic noontime call.
Breeding
As with other hornbills, females seal themselves within the nest cavity, where they lay the clutch, and remain with the growing young for most or all of the nesting period. In some species, the male helps with the sealing process from outside the nest cavity. The nestlings and the female are fed by the male through a narrow vertical slit in the sealed nest opening.
