Photo: Doug Janson / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Critically Endangered

Hornbills & Hoopoes

Helmeted Hornbill

Rhinoplax vigil

Helmeted Hornbill (Rhinoplax vigil) — Hornbills & Hoopoes of South & Southeast Asia.

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Found across 6 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of Indonesia Birds of Malaysia Birds of Thailand

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Hornbills of Indonesia Hornbills of Malaysia Hornbills of Thailand

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The Helmeted Hornbill (Rhinoplax vigil) is a member of the Bucerotidae family found in South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 2.9 kg. The IUCN Red List lists it as Critically Endangered.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List

CR Critically Endangered

Facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.

Where it fits

Class Aves
Order Bucerotiformes
Family Bucerotidae Hornbills
Genus Rhinoplax
Species vigil

Where it lives

Malay Pen., Sumatra and Borneo

South & Southeast Asia

Quick facts

Weight: 2.9 kg
Diet: Fruit-eaters
Family: Bucerotidae
Order: Bucerotiformes
Habitat: Woodland

How to identify

Similar birds

Vulnerable

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Helmeted Hornbill is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.

Behaviour

A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.

Migration

The Helmeted Hornbill is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

The Helmeted Hornbill (Rhinoplax vigil) is a species of bird in the Bucerotidae family, part of the order Bucerotiformes. Its range spans South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR Malay Pen., Sumatra and Borneo.

It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 2.9 kg, with a wing length of about 46.8 cm and a tail of around 42 cm.

It is classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern. Critically Endangered is the highest risk category before extinction in the wild.

Its mapped global range covers an estimated 1.2 million km².

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Helmeted Hornbill?

The Helmeted Hornbill is a very large bird that weighs around 2.9 kg.

Where does the Helmeted Hornbill live?

The Helmeted Hornbill is found across South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR Malay Pen., Sumatra and Borneo, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.

What family does the Helmeted Hornbill belong to?

The Helmeted Hornbill (Rhinoplax vigil) belongs to the Bucerotidae family, in the order Bucerotiformes.

What does the Helmeted Hornbill eat?

The Helmeted Hornbill is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.

Does the Helmeted Hornbill migrate?

The Helmeted Hornbill is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

Is the Helmeted Hornbill endangered?

It is classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern Critically Endangered is the highest risk category before extinction in the wild.

How large is the Helmeted Hornbill's range?

The Helmeted Hornbill has a mapped global range of about 1.2 million km².