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| Common Name: | Von der Decken's hornbill | Family: | Bucerotidae |
| Latin Name: | Tockus deckeni | Diet: | Omnivore |
| Type: | Bird | Habitat: | Scrubland |
| Native To: | Africa | Social Unit: | Group |
| IUCN Red List Status: | Least concern |
Von der Decken’s hornbills at Edinburgh Zoo
We currently have one male and one female Von der Decken’s hornbill. The male was hatched in 2008 and came to us from Vogelpark Avifauna (in the Netherlands) in December of that year. The female was hatched in 2009 in Overloon (also in the Netherlands) and arrived at Edinburgh Zoo in March of 2010.
These two are young birds that we hope will form a breeding pair with in the future. The 9 chicks hatched by our previous adult pair of Von der Decken’s hornbills have been sent to other zoos as part of the European Studbook (ESB) breeding programme for the species.
The Von der Decken’s hornbills at Edinburgh Zoo are fed a diet of insectivore bird mix, chopped fruit and insects.
Von der Decken’s hornbills will often kill any bee that they see near their nest box. In the wild, this behaviour helps to protect any chicks from being killed by swarming bees looking for a new site.
Where it can be found at Edinburgh Zoo
Our Von der Decken’s hornbills can be found in the African Aviary.
Von der Decken’s hornbills in the wild
Von der Decken’s hornbills (Tockus deckeni) are found in East Africa, from Ethiopia to Tanzania. Both males and females have white underbellies and dark gray or blackish upper feathers. Males have a red bill with a cream-coloured tip and black edges. Females have a black beak with no markings.
In the wild, Von der Decken’s hornbills feed on insects, fruits, and seeds; they will even eat small rodents if they can catch them. Von der Decken’s hornbills mainly feed on the ground.
Breeding programme category: ESB
IUCN Red List category: Least Concern
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