A rhinoceros hornbill perched on a branch in the rainforest, with a black body, a white and black tail, and a red and orange casque above a long yellow bill.

A giant of Southeast Asia

Rhinoceros Hornbill

Buceros rhinoceros

The rhinoceros hornbill (Buceros rhinoceros) is a large species of forest hornbill. In captivity, it can live for up to 35 years. It is found in lowland and montane, tropical and subtropical climates and in mountain rain forests up to 1,400 meters in the Malay Peninsula from southern Thailand; and the islands of Singapore, Borneo, Sumatra and Java.

not toucans

The Casque

The rhinoceros hornbill takes its name from the large, upturned casque on top of its bill. The casque and the bill are orange-red, a color the bird adds itself by rubbing oil onto its feathers from a gland above its tail.

  • 80–90 cmLength
  • 2–3 kgWeight
  • 35 yearsIn captivity
Close-up of a female hornbill's head, with its white eye, black face and the orange-red casque on a long yellow bill.

Males have red eyes while females have white eyes.

How it lives

Sealed Nest

The rhinoceros hornbill nests in tree cavities, and raising a family means a long stay indoors for the female.

  1. The female stays in the cavity with her eggs. The entrance is sealed with mud, food and feces, leaving a small opening.
  2. The male brings her food through the opening, and later feeds the chicks too.
  3. When the chicks are fully feathered, the parents chip away the mud to let them out.
A rhinoceros hornbill's black body and long black and white tail, perched on a mossy branch.

A female hornbill peeking out of her nest.

Why it matters

At Risk

The rhinoceros hornbill is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, moved up from Near Threatened in 2018. It is also the state bird of Sarawak, in Malaysian Borneo.

  • Habitat loss

    Rainforest is cleared, including the large trees the birds need for nesting.

  • Hunting

    Taken for meat, skulls and feathers.

  • Mistaken identity

    Poachers hunting the helmeted hornbill sometimes shoot this bird instead.

Leaves and branches of a rainforest canopy.

VulnerableIUCN Red List