Blackhelm Hornbill
| Blackhelm Hornbill | ||||||||||||
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A couple in the Cincinnati Zoo (USA), the female on the left, the male on the right. |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Ceratogymna atrata | ||||||||||||
| ( Temminck , 1835) |
The black helmet or club hornbill ( Ceratogymna atrata ) is a hornbill of the genus Ceratogymna .
description
The plumage is black, wing and tail tips are white. The downward curved beak has a horny growth. The male has a black head and neck and a bluish flap of skin below the beak. The head and neck of the female, however, are rust-brown. Male black-helmet hornbills are 81 centimeters long, females reach a length of 76 centimeters.
distribution and habitat
The species lives in tropical Africa from Guinea to the Congo Basin . The birds mainly inhabit rainforests and prefer to stay on or near fruiting trees.
Reproduction
Breeding pairs are monogamous. The female breeds alone in a tree hole. It seals the tree cavity except for a small crack to protect itself and the brood from predators. The male takes care of his partner and the young birds (nestlings).
Danger
The species is widespread and is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN .
literature
- JG Williams, N. Arlott: Birds of East Africa. Harper Collins Publishers, ISBN 0-00-219179-2 .
Web links
- Ceratogymna atrata in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2009. Posted by: BirdLife International, 2009. Retrieved on January 11, 2010.