Writhed-billed Hornbill
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| Writhed-billed Hornbill Conservation status: Critical | ||||||||||||||
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| Missing image Philippine_tarictic_hornbill_callanbentley022.jpg Writhed-billed Hornbill | ||||||||||||||
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| Aceros waldeni Sharpe, 1877 |
The Writhed-billed Hornbill, or Visayan Wrinkled Hornbill (Aceros waldeni) is a hornbill bird living in the rainforests of Maitum, Sarangani; Panay island and in many other parts of the Philippines.
Status
This is a critically endangered species. Writhed-billed hornbills reproduce very slowly and thus are unable to survive high hunting pressures coupled with heavy logging of the rainforests. It is presumed extinct on Guimaras and now survives only on Negros and Panay. The current population is estimated at less than 160.
Habitat and behaviour
Rainforests with abundant fruit-bearing trees are the natural habitat of these birds. The writhed-billed hornbills live in small groups and are noisy.
Reproduction
Writhed-billed hornbills use natural or carved-out hollows in tree trunks for its nest. They reproduce very slowly. In conservation camps and parks, man made nests made of wooden boxes are being attached to tree trunks.