HORNBILL
Hornbills (Bucerotidae) are a family of bird found in
tropical and subtropical Africa, Asia and Melanesia. They are characterized by a long, down-curved bill which is
frequently brightly-colored, quite like the toucan, and
sometimes has a casque on the upper mandible.
Both the common English and the scientific name of the
family refer to the shape of the bill, "buceros" being "cow
horn" in Greek. In addition, they possess a
two-lobed kidney.
Hornbills are the only birds in which the
first two neck vertebrae (the axis and atlas) are fused together; this probably
provides a more stable platform for carrying the bill. The family is
omnivorous, feeding on fruit and small animals. They are monogamous breeders
nesting in natural
cavities in trees and sometimes cliffs. A number of species of hornbill are threatened with extinction, mostly insular species with small ranges.
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