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Hemprich's Hornbill Lophoceros hemprichii Scientific name definitions

Alan C. Kemp and Peter F. D. Boesman
Version: 1.0 — Published March 4, 2020
Text last updated June 19, 2014

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Originally Appeared in

HBW Alive

Field Identification

50–58 cm; one female 297g. Small, dark brown hornbill with white belly and white third and fourth tail feathers, feathers of upperparts edged and tipped creamy. Male with bill dark red, bare throat skin black. Distinguished from T.albotermi­natus by creamy edges above, all-white ­feathers in outer tail, deeper red bill without yellow basal line, dark eyes. Female slightly smaller than male, bill with black base to lower mandible, throat skin pale green. Juvenile similar to adult female, but black flecks at base of white tail feathers, bill sooty-brown.

Systematics History

Most closely related to the L. fasciatus species-group (which see), having similar whistling calls and head-up display posture with wings closed. In the past, birds of N Kenya occasionally separated as race exsul. Monotypic.

Subspecies

Monotypic.

Distribution

Ethiopia (except W & SE), Eritrea, Djibouti and N Somalia to SE South Sudan, NE Uganda and N & NW Kenya.

Habitat

Occupies wooded watercourses in hilly areas and along gorges, at up to 4300 m in Ethiopian Highlands.

Movement

Apparently resident over most of range; in peripheral areas of Eritrea, Somalia and Kenya, however, descends into flat lowlands, forms into small flocks of up to 14, and wanders far from normal breeding habitat.

Diet and Foraging

Eats mainly insects, but also lizards and chameleons, and some fruits, figs and berries. Forages by moving in buoyant flight from tree to tree. Takes most food from among the foliage, or by hawking flying insects; also descends to ground to feed on termites, or to search among rock cracks.

Sounds and Vocal Behavior

A long rhythmic series of piping whistles, typically accelerating and ending in 2–3 lower-pitched notes “pee-pee-pee-pe-pi-pi-pi-pi-pioh-pioh”. Also single-note and bisyllabic piping contact calls.

Breeding

Little known. Lays mainly in Mar–May, also in Aug–Oct and Jan in Ethiopia. Territorial display ends with unique fanning of tail over back. Nest most often in natural hole in rock face on side of ravine, sometimes in tree cavity, even in hole in wall of old building; lined with flakes of wood and bark; nest sealed by female. Clutch 3 eggs; incubation by female, fed at nest by male with single items carried in bill; incubation and fledging periods undocumented.

Conservation Status

Conservation status on Birdlife LC Least Concern
Not globally threatened. Widespread and common in Ethiopia, but local and often uncommon elsewhere. Favoured habitat often remote and inaccessible, which reduces extent of habitat alteration and human interference. Occurs in Forêt du Day National Park, in Djibouti.
Distribution of the Hemprich's Hornbill - Range Map
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  • Year-round
  • Migration
  • Breeding
  • Non-Breeding
Distribution of the Hemprich's Hornbill

eBird and Macaulay Library

Recommended Citation

Kemp, A. C. and P. F. D. Boesman (2020). Hemprich's Hornbill (Lophoceros hemprichii), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.hemhor1.01
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