Rhinoceros Hornbill Picture

Rhinoceros Hornbill is my Picture of the Week. These are the largest species of Hornbills found in the world and this particular one was taken at the Kuala Lumpur Bird Park.

These majestic birds are mostly found in the island of Borneo, Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore and also in Thailand. They grow to about 40-50 inches long (3-5 feet) and weigh about 2-3 kilograms.

They spot stunning colours of Orange, Yellow and Red on the top part while the entire body is black. The tail feathers are long and black and white.

Photos of Rhinoceros Hornbill in Malaysia

Side profile shot of the bird

What is unique about these birds are that they lay their eggs inside tree trunks and the females stay inside with the eggs and then with the chicks, while the male will bring them food.

After the eggs are laid, the male hornbill collects mud and the pair pack that mud, along with food and feces, to "mud-up" the tree cavity entrance.

Another thing to watch for is the hornbill 'bark' or call. It sounds very different compared to normal birds too.

At the KL Bird Park, there are two of these huge birds in an enclosed aviary specially for them only. A Hornbill Restaurant is also in the area so one can sit outside and watch these amazing birds. 

 

 A close up profile of the hornbill

Frontal view of the bird

If you would like to see these amazing birds, you can do so at most Southeast Asian zoos namely the Singapore Zoo, Kuala Lumpur Bird Park, and Zoo Negara in Kuala Lumpur.

For those who are a little more adventurous, you can even make a trip to Sabah and Sarawak in Borneo to see them in the wild, in their own natural habitat.

Some places in Sabah offer a Kinabatangan River Safari Cruise where you can catch many of these birds in the wild. Nothing beats being there personally to capture a Rhinoceros Hornbill Picture for your collection.