African Pied Hornbill

The African pied hornbill (Lophoceros fasciatus) is a bird of the hornbill family, a family of tropical near-passerine birds found in the Old World. It is a common resident breeder in much of equatorial Africa, from The Gambia to western Uganda and northern Angola. Description: The African Pied Hornbill is mainly black with a white belly and white on the top of the tail. The long, curved black and yellow bill has a medium-sized casque. The sexes are similar, but the female has a smaller casque. Immature birds are a bit duller, with a smaller bill, and no casque. Breeding: The female lays up to four white eggs in a tree hole, which is blocked off during incubation with a cement made of mud, droppings and fruit pulp. There is a narrow opening, with only enough room for the male to transfer food to the mother and the chicks. Interesting fact: When the chicks and the female are too big to fit in the nest, the mother breaks out and rebuilds the wall. Then both parents feed the chicks. Diet