Hornbills nest in hollow trees where the male seals the female in using mud and feces. She is dependent on her mate to feed her for 4 months until the chicks fledge. Females’ necks are black while males are yellow and have a “wrinkled” beak. More than 50 have hatched in the U.S. since 1988 while breeding at the Tulsa Zoo commenced in 2007.
Balearica regulorum Threats such as hunting, live trapping, drainage, pesticides, and livestock overgrazing contribute to the species’ decline. These birds breed readily in captivity…