Rhyticeros plicatus (J.R.Forster, 1781)

Common Name and Total Length

Rhyticeros plicatus, commonly called the Papuan hornbill, reaches up to 91 cm (36 inches) in total length.

Adult Male Plumage

Adult males have mostly black plumage, paired with a golden or orange-buff head, white throat, and white tail.

Adult Male Eye Features

Their irises are reddish brown, and naked pale blue skin surrounds the eye.

Adult Female Plumage and Size

Females are smaller than males, and are also mostly black, with a white throat and white tail.

Adult Bill and Casque

Both adult males and females have a very large horn-coloured bill and casque.

Juvenile Appearance

All juvenile birds of both sexes look similar to adult males.

Casque Fold Development

Adult Papuan hornbills develop up to eight folds on their pale casque, with the exact number depending on the bird’s age; young birds have no casque folds at all.

Flight Sound

When in flight, this species produces a loud, distinctive rushing noise with its wings, which has been compared to the sound of steam escaping a steam locomotive.

Vocalizations

It produces a range of far-carrying guttural calls, including both grunts and laughing sounds.

Habitat Elevation Range

Papuan hornbills live in lowland forests, ranging from sea level up to 1,200–1,500 m above sea level.

Geographic Distribution

Their range covers the Moluccas, New Guinea, the Bismarck Archipelago, and extends east to the Solomon Islands.

New Guinea Endemic Status

It is the only hornbill species native to New Guinea, and one of the largest flying birds found in that region.

Australian Sightings

Rare sightings have also been reported on Saibai and Boigu Islands in the Torres Strait, Queensland, Australia.

Primary Diet

The Papuan hornbill’s diet is made up mostly of fruits, particularly figs.

Supplementary Diet

Occasionally it supplements this diet with insects and other small animals.

Nest Site Characteristics

The species nests inside large tree hollows in rainforest, located between at least 18 m (59 ft) and 30 m (98 ft) above the ground.

Female Nest Confinement

Throughout incubation and the nestling period, the female remains confined entirely inside the nest cavity.

Nest Entrance Sealing

She is mostly sealed inside when the nest entrance is plastered closed with a mixture of fruit pulp and rotten wood; only a narrow opening is left, through which the male brings food to her.

Clutch Size

The typical clutch size for this species is around two eggs.