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Bird. The red-billed hornbill is the most commonly seen hornbill in Kenya. These social birds gather in small groups or pairs. They like to stay in one place, defending a territory up to 10 hectares (25 acres). When nesting, the female actually seals herself inside the nest with the eggs by building a wall of mud, food remains, and her own droppings! She will leave a small open slit through which her mate can feed her. It can take five hours for her to free herself once the chicks have hatched. The chicks use wood chips to seal back up the nest until they are ready to leave. Adults grow to 51 cm (20 in). |
| Scientific
Name |
Lifespan |
| Tockus erythrorhynchus |
40 years |
| Diet |
| Omnivore. Ground feeder: insects, small mammals, small reptiles and fruits. |
| Predators and Threats |
| Raptors, puff adders, and humans (habitat destruction). |
| Habitat |
| Woodlands, wooded savanna; Africa. |
