4-6-2019 LINYANTI CAMP, BOTSWANA - SOUTHERN YELLOW BILLED HORNBILL (Tockus leucomelas ssp parvior)

Distribution: Southern Africa; from south-west Angola and Namibia across Botswana, Zimbabwe and southern Zambia east to southern Malawi, western Mozambique and northern South Africa. 

Description: 40 cm. Male 153-242 g; female 138-211 g. Combination of pied plumage and yellow bill diagnostic within range. Small slender hornbill with pied plumage and long yellow bill. Male has broad bill and low casque extending to tip. Female is smaller, with smaller bill and shorter casque. Juvenile is like adult but with shorter dull yellow bill with brown spots. 

Voice: The call is similar to Red-billed Hornbill’s but somewhat deeper and more liquid; a series of chucking notes uttered singly, or in a series sometimes leading into a continuous bubbling call kok-kok-kok …korkorkorkork. 

Habits: The Southern yellow-billed hornbill occurs in savannah and open woodlands, often along rivers and grasslands with scattered trees; in the west also in more arid semi-deserts and thorn-bush country. It feeds on the ground or low in the bushes, by walking and running to catch small prey. It does not dig in the ground like the Red-billed Hornbill does, instead it searches on the ground or in the leaf litter and on branches and snatches animals up with its powerful bill. The food is mainly small invertebrates such as ants and termites, especially during the dry season, but when available also grasshoppers, beetles, caterpillars, centipedes and scorpions. It also takes some vertebrate prey such as bird eggs and nestlings and rodents during years of abundance, as well as some fruits and seeds. It is usually found in resident pairs or small family flocks and it can stay in the home range all year. It is territorial and sedentary in most areas; the pair will fly out to feed in the morning and come home to the same roost in the evening. In some areas with a long dry season, like the Kalahari Desert, it will move out in search of better feeding grounds when not breeding.    

28-5-2019 SOMALISA CAMP, ZIMBABWE - SOUTHERN YELLOW BILLED HORNBILL (Tockus leucomelas ssp parvior

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/5479-Tockus-leucomelas

27-5-2019 SOMALISA CAMP, ZIMBABWE - SOUTHERN YELLOW BILLED HORNBILL (Tockus leucomelas ssp parvior)

25-3-2018 CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA - SOUTHERN YELLOW BILLED HORNBILL (Tockus leucomelas ssp parvior)

The Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill, known scientifically as Tockus leucomelas, is a medium-sized bird, with a length ranging from 48 to 60 centimeters and a weight between 132 and 242 grams. Its most striking feature is the long, down-curved yellow beak, which is disproportionately large compared to its body, making up to one-sixth of its body length. Males boast a longer beak, averaging 90 millimeters, while females have a slightly shorter one, averaging 74 millimeters. The species exhibits sexual dimorphism, with males generally larger than females. The bird's plumage is a combination of white, grey, and black, with the white belly and grey neck contrasting against the black back adorned with white spots and stripes. The eyes are typically yellow, though brown variations exist, and the skin around the eyes and malar stripe is pinkish.

To identify the Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill, look for the long yellow beak and modest-sized casque that covers almost the entire length of the beak in males. The bird's white belly, grey neck with spots, and black back with white markings are also distinctive. The male's larger size and longer beak are reliable indicators for sex differentiation in the field.

This hornbill species is a common and widespread resident of the dry thornveldt and broad-leafed woodlands, often seen along roads and watercourses. They show a preference for acacia and broadleaved woodlands when available.

The Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill is near-endemic to the dry savannas of southern Africa, with its range extending from Angola and Namibia in the west to Mozambique and KwaZulu-Natal in the east, including Botswana, Zimbabwe, and northern South Africa.

Active during the day, these birds are often solitary, but may form couples or small groups, especially during breeding or nesting seasons, or when local migration occurs during the dry season. They are ground foragers, not digging but rather overturning debris to find food. They are sedentary but may roam in search of sustenance during dry spells. Monogamous pairs defend their territories with elaborate displays.

The Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill's vocal repertoire includes a piercing cry, whistles, grunts, and cackles. These calls are used for territory demarcation and long-distance communication, often accompanied by physical displays.

Their diet consists mainly of arthropods like termites, beetles, larvae, grasshoppers, and caterpillars, supplemented by small mammals, berries, fruits, nuts, and eggs from other species. They use their beak as forceps to grasp and toss food into their throat, with serrated inner edges aiding in crushing and fragmenting their prey.

25-3-2018 TABLE MOUNTAIN AVIARY, CAPE TOWN - SOUTHERN YELLOW BILLED HORNBILL (Tockus leucomelas ssp parvior)

The Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill, known scientifically as Tockus leucomelas, is a medium-sized bird, with a length ranging from 48 to 60 centimeters and a weight between 132 and 242 grams. Its most striking feature is the long, down-curved yellow beak, which is disproportionately large compared to its body, making up to one-sixth of its body length. Males boast a longer beak, averaging 90 millimeters, while females have a slightly shorter one, averaging 74 millimeters. The species exhibits sexual dimorphism, with males generally larger than females. The bird's plumage is a combination of white, grey, and black, with the white belly and grey neck contrasting against the black back adorned with white spots and stripes. The eyes are typically yellow, though brown variations exist, and the skin around the eyes and malar stripe is pinkish.

To identify the Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill, look for the long yellow beak and modest-sized casque that covers almost the entire length of the beak in males. The bird's white belly, grey neck with spots, and black back with white markings are also distinctive. The male's larger size and longer beak are reliable indicators for sex differentiation in the field.

This hornbill species is a common and widespread resident of the dry thornveldt and broad-leafed woodlands, often seen along roads and watercourses. They show a preference for acacia and broadleaved woodlands when available.

The Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill is near-endemic to the dry savannas of southern Africa, with its range extending from Angola and Namibia in the west to Mozambique and KwaZulu-Natal in the east, including Botswana, Zimbabwe, and northern South Africa.

Active during the day, these birds are often solitary, but may form couples or small groups, especially during breeding or nesting seasons, or when local migration occurs during the dry season. They are ground foragers, not digging but rather overturning debris to find food. They are sedentary but may roam in search of sustenance during dry spells. Monogamous pairs defend their territories with elaborate displays.

The Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill's vocal repertoire includes a piercing cry, whistles, grunts, and cackles. These calls are used for territory demarcation and long-distance communication, often accompanied by physical displays.

Their diet consists mainly of arthropods like termites, beetles, larvae, grasshoppers, and caterpillars, supplemented by small mammals, berries, fruits, nuts, and eggs from other species. They use their beak as forceps to grasp and toss food into their throat, with serrated inner edges aiding in crushing and fragmenting their prey.

Breeding coincides with the onset of the rainy season, varying regionally. Courtship involves feeding, mutual preening, copulation, and nest prospecting. Nests are made in natural cavities, with the female sealing herself inside during incubation. Eggs are white and oval, with 2-6 per clutch, hatching after about 24 days. Chicks are born naked and are fed by both parents until they are ready to fledge.

The unique appearance of hornbills has led to their significant role in various cultural beliefs. Some indigenous tribes consider them sacred, while others may hunt them for food, traditional medicine, or ritualistic purposes.

The IUCN Red List classifies the Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill as Least Concern, indicating that the species does not currently face a significant risk of extinction.