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Collection  >  Order (Birds)  >  Order Information (Bucerotiformes)

Bucerotiformes

Bucerotiformes, from Greek Βουκερώς (Boukerṓs, “hornbill”) and Latin -fōrmis (“-shaped”), means “hornbill-shaped”, in reference to the fact that these animals are all hornbill-shaped and hornbill-related.

Hornbills, ground hornbills, hoopoes and wood hoopoes.

Photos

DISTRIBUTION

Africa, Eurasia and Melanesia.

SIZE

They range from 23 cm in length up to 1.3 m.

MORPHOLOGY

Certain species feature a long, thin, black beak that taper to a fawn base, broad, rounded wings, and a tall headcrest. Other species have a large bill along with a hollow structure called a casque running along the top jaw. Their bodies may be parrot-shaped, woodpecker-shaped or guan-shaped.

ECOLOGY & HABITAT

They are mainly arboreal, often using large trees as nesting sites, but there are some terrestrial species. They are found in a range of environments, such as grasslands, rainforests, and deserts.

DIET

Some species have diets mostly composed of insects, although small reptiles, frogs and plant matter such as seeds and berries are sometimes taken as well. Others prefer fruits overall, but also eat insects and small vertebrates. They can be important for the dispersal of seeds of some plant species.

REPRODUCTION

Most species are monogamous, others engage in cooperative breeding. They nest in natural cavities in trees and sometimes cliffs

REFERENCES

del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D. A. (2010). Handbook of the Birds of the World Series. Lynx Edicions.

Lovette, I. J., Fitzpatrick, J. W. (2016). Handbook of Bird Biology. Wiley-Blackwell.

Gill, F. B., Prum, R. O. (2019). Ornithology. W.H. Freeman & Co. Ltd.

Total species known

77

Species in the collection

1

Species in Hong Kong

1

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