Rusty-cheeked Hornbill Anorrhinus tickelli Scientific name definitions

60–65 cm; male 854–912 g, female 683–797 g. Medium-sized hornbill, red-brown below, darker brown above. Male has brighter rufous cheeks and throat, pale yellow bill. Distinguished from A. austeni by brown throat. Female darker below, with dusky brown bill; distinguished from female A. austeni by dark bill. Juvenile of both sexes resembles adult male, but paler brown.

S Myanmar (Tenasserim) and adjacent W Thailand.

Evergreen and deciduous hill forest, especially areas of taller and denser trees; from foothills to 1500 m.

Probably sedentary and territorial, but recorded as irregular visitor to higher forest.

Little information; recorded taking fruits of Ficus sp.; probably similar to that of A. austeni.

Loud plaintive, screaming whistles in series of 2–4 over 1–2 seconds, and similar to A. austeni. Also longer series of screams, sometimes bisyllabic “kee-yo..kee-yo..kee-yo..”.

Laying recorded during Feb–Apr in Myanmar. Breeds co-operatively, in groups. Nest in natural cavity in tree at 3·5–8 m. Of 8–10 adults present at one nest, at least 5 males brought food .

Not globally threatened. CITES II. Currently considered Near-­threatened, even when lumped with A. austeni. Has smallest range of any continental hornbill species. Habitat loss to logging and agriculture known to be prevalent within its range. Surveys and studies of biology urgently needed. Conservation status probably merits reassessment, in light of taxonomic split.