Tockus rufirostris (Sundevall, 1850)

Sexual Dimorphism

Male and female Southern red-billed hornbills, Tockus rufirostris, look similar, but males are larger and heavier. Males also have slightly longer bills, with a variable amount of black colouring on the lower mandible.

Distinguishing Facial & Plumage Features

This species can be distinguished from other red-billed hornbills by a unique set of features: a yellow iris, pale orbital skin that ranges from pink to greyish, and distinct broad blackish streaks in the plumage extending from the ear coverts to the side of the neck. It has a white throat and clearly spotted wing coverts.

Geographic Range

This hornbill's range extends from Malawi and Zambia west to southern Angola, and south through northeastern Namibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe to eastern Eswatini and northern South Africa, specifically the former Transvaal region and northern KwaZulu-Natal province. It is also present in the upper Zambezi valley of Mozambique, but is mostly absent from Mozambique's eastern lowlands.