Silvery Cheeked Hornbill

Range

Silvery Cheeked Hornbills are found in the forests of East Africa from Ethiopia to South Africa and Zimbabwe.

Facts

These birds participate in a nesting strategy that is truly unique to hornbills. The female will seal herself into a tree cavity with her brood. She will leave a slit in the opening to the cavity that is only large enough for the male’s bill and she will depend on him as her sole source of food until her chicks are ready to fledge.

Hornbill beaks are comprised of honeycombed bone with a thin layer of overlaying keratin. This means that in spite of looking very heavy, they are actually quite lightweight.