# Sulu Hornbill (*Anthracoceros montani*) The Sulu Hornbill is a colorful bird with a big, curved beak. It loves to live in the trees and can often be seen flying around in the forests of the Sulu Archipelago. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Forests ![Sulu Hornbill](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Sulu_Hornbill.jpg&width=800) Photo: Chivi Aguro, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sulu_Hornbill.jpg) ## Appearance The Sulu Hornbill is a medium-sized bird, entirely glossy black except for white tips on its outer tail feathers. Males have a striking white face, neck, and breast, contrasting with the all-black plumage of the female. It possesses a pale yellow beak topped with a small, horn-like casque. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Bucerotiformes - **Family:** Bucerotidae - **Genus:** Anthracoceros ## Interesting facts - Its loud calls sound like 'kah-KAH-kah' echoing through the rainforest. - Only found on a few tiny islands in the Philippines, making it super rare! - The dad hornbill brings food to his sealed-in family through a small slit! - When the mom bird finally breaks out, her chicks help too! ## Special abilities - **Sealed Nest Builder:** Sulu Hornbill females can seal themselves inside tree cavities to lay eggs, creating a safe, mud-walled nest for their chicks. - **Fruit Disperser:** Sulu Hornbills have a strong beak that helps them eat and spread seeds from many different fruits, helping new trees grow. - **Forest Navigator:** Sulu Hornbills possess broad wings that help them glide effortlessly between tall trees, efficiently navigating their dense forest home. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 45-50 cm - **Wingspan:** 70-80 cm - **Weight:** 0.5-0.7 kg - **Lifespan:** 15-20 years - **Speed:** 40 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 1-4 - **Incubation:** 25-30 days - **Migration Distance:** 0 km ## Diet & Feeding This hornbill enjoys a mixed diet of yummy fruits, juicy insects, and sometimes small animals. - **Primary Foods:** Figs, Other fruits, Insects, Lizards, Snails - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** Langka-langka Fig (*Ficus nota*) — Disperses seeds to help grow new fig trees. - **Shelter:** Mayapis (*Shorea palosapis*) — Uses large old-growth trees for nesting cavities. - **Eaten by:** Philippine Serpent Eagle (*Spilornis holospilus*) — A natural predator that hunts birds in the forest canopy. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Aerial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aerial): Aerial creatures spend a significant portion of their lives airborne, utilizing flight for various activities such as hunting, migration, or nesting. - [Omnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/omnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet includes both plant and animal matter. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Gliding](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/gliding): Gliding animals move through the air by launching themselves and maintaining flight with specialized body structures, without flapping wings. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Endangered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/endangered): Endangered status indicates a species is at a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch birds from a distance and do not try to touch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Sulu Hornbill? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Sulu Hornbill? 45-50 cm ### What is Sulu Hornbill's wingspan? 70-80 cm ### How much does Sulu Hornbill weigh? 0.5-0.7 kg ### How long does Sulu Hornbill live? 15-20 years ### How fast can Sulu Hornbill move? 40 km/h ### What does Sulu Hornbill eat? This hornbill enjoys a mixed diet of yummy fruits, juicy insects, and sometimes small animals. ### Where is Sulu Hornbill usually found? Forests ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Sulu Hornbill: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/sulu-hornbill)