Fun Wrinkled Hornbill Facts For Kids

Anamika Balouria
Oct 20, 2022 By Anamika Balouria
Originally Published on Sep 02, 2021
Edited by Monisha Kochhar
Fact-checked by Pradhanya Rao
Read about wrinkled hornbill facts to discover these threatened species.

The wrinkled hornbill, Rhabdotorrhinus corrugatus, was first described by a Dutch zoologist, Coenraad Jacob Temminck, in 1832. They are beautiful black birds with yellow-red-colored necks and bills. They are native to Malaysia, Thailand, and Borneo. Mostly, these birds are found in the evergreen rainforest.

They are monogamous in their nature and are seen mostly in pairs. The female bird has a yellow bill and casque with a blueish pouch and throat, whereas, the male has a yellow-red bill and casque. They are categorized as medium-sized hornbills.

Sexual dimorphism exists in them. The rainy season from January to December is mostly evident as their breeding season. They are omnivores on basis of their food habit.

They are categorized as Endangered bird species due to deforestation. According to one of the studies and research in North America, it has been found that these birds are more captivated and this is also one of the reasons for their declining population.

If you enjoy learning about different birds, here are some interesting fun facts about hornbills and bowerbirds.

Wrinkled Hornbill Interesting Facts

What type of animal is a wrinkled hornbill?

The wrinkled hornbill, Rhabdotorrhinus corrugatus, is a beautiful medium-size hornbill that is also known by the scientific name the wrinkled hornbill, Aceros corrugatus. This bird is famous for its harmless and clumsy nature.

What class of animal does a wrinkled hornbill belong to?

These species belong to the class of Aves under the order of Bucerotiformes. They are from the genus Rhabdotorrhinus and belong to the family Bucerotidae similar to the rhinoceros hornbills.

How many wrinkled hornbills are there in the world?

These birds' population is declining and their exact number is unknown in the world. Their life cycle has been affected drastically.

Where does a wrinkled hornbill live?

These medium-sized hornbills are native to the Malaysia Peninsula, Thailand, Sumatra, and Borneo. Most commonly, they are found in South Sumatra and North Sarawak. They are threatened in Thailand and have rarely been found in the peninsular region of Malaysia in recent years.

What is a wrinkled hornbill's habitat?

The wrinkled hornbill habitat in an evergreen rainforest of the southeastern world. They are seen flying through the tall tree canopies of the forest, particularly near their food, fruits such as figs, and unlogged forest where they find trees with holes for building nests.

Who do wrinkled hornbills live with?

The wrinkled hornbill lives in pairs throughout their life. This species is monogamous and might starve to death during the incubation period if separated from each other.

How long does a wrinkled hornbill live?

It is not very evident how long this bird species lives. It is evident that the hornbill species can live up to a maximum of 30 years and a minimum of 20 years if kept under optimal conditions.

How do they reproduce?

The rainy season in the month of December and January is their breeding season. They are sexually mature at the age of five to six years and incubate for around three to four months.

The female builds her nest using mud and food pieces at a height of 40-50 ft. (1219.2-1524 cm). The female encloses herself in the nest which is made in tree holes until the eggs are laid and hatched. Only two to three eggs are laid.

Within 10 days of hatching eggs, the female frees herself from the incubation. Later on, the male feeds the newborn chicks for the next 60-65 days. At an approximate, around 150 figs are fed to his family during the whole incubation period. If they are not fed, then the female and chicks can starve to death.

What is their conservation status?

The conservation status of these species is under the Endangered category. They are threatened due to rigorous deforestation.

Their natural wildlife forest is being destroyed and it is among the major reasons for their population decline. Another reason is their captivity and killing for their feathers by humans. They are Endangered in Thailand and rare in the peninsular region of Malaysia.

Wrinkled Hornbill Fun Facts

What do wrinkled hornbills look like?

The wrinkled hornbills are medium-sized hornbills with beautiful black feathers on their lower body and a colorful throat, pouch, and bill. The males have beautiful, colorful yellow, red, and orange bills, casque, and throat. They have black feathers on their bodies, which make them look more vibrant and beautiful. Around the eyes, they have a blue color.

Whereas, the females do not have a casque and have yellow necks and bills. They have a blue-colored throat and a pouch on their lower body, which helps to identify them.

The males and females look different and are easily identified. Thus, they are sexually dimorphic hornbills. The chicks when they hatch look pink in color, while they turn purple when they are 10 days old.

How cute are they?

These medium-sized black birds species have a vibrant yellow-red bill and blue eyes that make them more noticeable and cute around the world.

How do they communicate?

They make loud noises in order to communicate and travel long distances. They make harsh and deep noises to communicate.

How big is a wrinkled hornbill?

This species is categorized as a medium-sized hornbill. They are 25.6-27.6 in (65-70 cm) long with a wide wingspan of 6 ft. (1.8 m). The female is smaller than the male.

How fast can a wrinkled hornbill move?

There is no specific record of how fast the wrinkled hornbill moves. From general records, it is evident that these species fly at a fast speed and can travel a long distance.

How much does a wrinkled hornbill weigh?

The wrinkled hornbill weighs around 3.5 lb (1.6 kg).

What are the male and female names of the species?

There is no specific name given to the male and female of this species.

What would you call a baby wrinkled hornbill?

The baby wrinkled hornbill is called a chick when it hatches out of its eggs.

What do they eat?

They eat food such as fruits with numerous seeds, such as figs, and some of the time, it is seen that they feed on small animals such as frogs, snails, lizards, and small birds for food using their bills.

Are they dangerous?

No, they are not dangerous, similar to the great hornbill. They are kept under captivity by humans. They are not aggressive and elusive, whereas, sometimes they are evidently clumsy during their fights.

Would they make a good pet?

 Due to the drastic decline in their numbers over the past few years, it is evident that their life expectancy is decreasing due to the captivity under humans. So not appropriate as pets.

Did you know...

The wrinkled hornbills, Aceros corrugatus, are very hygienic and ensure that they keep their bill and casque clean. They rub their bills on hard tree branches to remove the dirt and protect themselves from diseases.

Throughout their life cycle, they are never thirsty and do not drink water.

The wrinkled hornbill range map

The wrinkled hornbill, Aceros corrugatus, range map extends in the southeastern countries of the world, the peninsular region of Malaysia, Thailand, Sumatra, Borneo, and Sarawak. Many times, they are also seen in Singapore and Brunei.

Why are wrinkled hornbills Endangered?

The wrinkled hornbill Endangered species are threatened throughout the world for three main reasons, and all of them are related to human activities. First, they are kept in captivity, which does not allow them to live under optimal natural conditions.

Second, their natural habitat is being demolished by humans. The trees are cut down on a large scale, which has disturbed their living necessities. Third, they are being killed by humans for their feathers and colorful bills to make money.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other birds from our secretary bird fun facts and frigate bird interesting facts pages.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable hornbill bird coloring pages.

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Written by Anamika Balouria

Bachelor of Arts specializing in English, Bachelor of Education specializing in Secondary Education and Teaching, Master of Arts specializing in English

Anamika Balouria picture

Anamika BalouriaBachelor of Arts specializing in English, Bachelor of Education specializing in Secondary Education and Teaching, Master of Arts specializing in English

A dedicated and enthusiastic learner, Anamika is committed to the growth and development of her team and organization. She holds undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in English from Daulat Ram University and Indira Gandhi Institute for Open Learning respectively, as well as a Bachelor of Education from Amity University, Noida. Anamika is a skilled writer and editor with a passion for continual learning and development.
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Fact-checked by Pradhanya Rao

Bachelor of Commerce specializing in Marketing and HR

Pradhanya Rao picture

Pradhanya RaoBachelor of Commerce specializing in Marketing and HR

With a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce from Christ University, Bangalore, Pradhanya's passion for the English language and literature led her to explore the field of content writing, where she has gained extensive experience in writing, reviewing, editing, and fact-checking. She has also earned certifications in Google Ads Search, Google Ads Display, and Social Media Marketing, showcasing her proficiency in digital marketing.

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