The Story of the Hornbill

Hornbills at CCF

I have been checking the Yellow-billed Hornbill's nest each time I walk past. By my calculations the female could emerge as early as next week which would mean the chicks should be making some noise. I do wonder, since the mom is with them all the time and it must be fairly dark in the box, if they would have any reason to make noise.

The male and female Hornbill work together to get the box or cavity ready for the nesting season. They carry the sticks and debris into the box then begin to mud the opening closed. When there is barely enough room for the female to squeeze through she enters the box and finishes closing the entrance. She may or may not start to lay her eggs right away. Once she lays all of her eggs she molts all of her feathers. Everything! Tail, wings, head. She is just a bald bird. The male does his duty by bringing her food all day and carrying away her waste. If something happens to him she will die too as she cannot fly.

It takes about three weeks for the eggs to hatch and the female stays with the chicks roughly three more weeks. The male must really be hustling at that point as I see him coming at all times of the day now. Once the female opens the hole and climbs out she and the male mud it in again. Then they both feed the chicks for another three weeks. Finally the chicks break open the mud and emerge into the light of day.

This behavior has allowed Hornbills to be one of the most successful cavity nesting birds. There is not much other than a snake that could get into the nest to eat the eggs or the chicks. And with that bill maybe a snake will not even tangle with the female Hornbill.