Photo: Bernard DUPONT from FRANCE / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Trumpeter Hornbill
Bycanistes bucinator
Trumpeter Hornbill (Bycanistes bucinator) — Hornbills & Hoopoes of Africa.
Found across 7 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Trumpeter Hornbill (Bycanistes bucinator) is a member of the Bucerotidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 639 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Bucerotiformes
- Family Bucerotidae Hornbills
- Genus Bycanistes
- Species bucinator
Quick facts
- Weight
- 639 g
- Diet
- Fruit-eaters
- Family
- Bucerotidae
- Order
- Bucerotiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Critically Endangered
Endangered
Vulnerable
Near Threatened
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Trumpeter Hornbill is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Trumpeter Hornbill is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Trumpeter Hornbill (Bycanistes bucinator) is a species of bird in the Bucerotidae family, part of the order Bucerotiformes. It occurs naturally across Africa. Its distribution covers AF Angola to Kenya, s to e South Africa.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 639 g, with a wing length of about 27.8 cm and a tail of around 23.2 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 4.1 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Trumpeter Hornbill?
The Trumpeter Hornbill is a large bird that weighs around 639 g.
Where does the Trumpeter Hornbill live?
The Trumpeter Hornbill is found across Africa with a range covering AF Angola to Kenya, s to e South Africa, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Trumpeter Hornbill belong to?
The Trumpeter Hornbill (Bycanistes bucinator) belongs to the Bucerotidae family, in the order Bucerotiformes.
What does the Trumpeter Hornbill eat?
The Trumpeter Hornbill is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Does the Trumpeter Hornbill migrate?
The Trumpeter Hornbill is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Trumpeter Hornbill endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Trumpeter Hornbill make?
1 real field recording of the Trumpeter Hornbill can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Trumpeter Hornbill's range?
The Trumpeter Hornbill has a mapped global range of about 4.1 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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