UGANDA BIRD GUIDES
The White-thighed Hornbill
a.k.a
Bycanistes cylindricus
If you're planning a birding Safari at the end your next business trip to Africa,plan to enjoy the White-thighed Hornbill.
This Uganda Bird is a large forest Hornbill you will distinguish from rather similar black-and-white casqued hornbills by a diagnostic white tail with a solitary black bar. The white-thighed hornbill is a species of bird threatened with extinction. This bird is a species of hornbill in the bucerotidae family. The scientific name of the family refers to the shape of the bill "buceros" meaning "cow horn". |
In this section of the Uganda Birding Safari Guide we share with you information about White-thighed Hornbills in Uganda in order to make your Bird watching tour to Africa even more rewarding.
You will find information about:
- Where to find the White-thighed Hornbill in Uganda
- How to Identify a White-thighed Hornbill and
- Interesting facts about White-thighed Hornbills
Where to find the White-thighed Hornbill in Uganda
You will often find White-thighed Hornbills in pairs and small groups in primary forests in Uganda, from 900-1400 meters.
The birds are however common in the extreme western part of Uganda, in Budongo and forest patches along the Masindi-Hoima road to the south.
How you will know that you've seen a White-thighed Hornbill
You will see a large hornbill about 71cm; the adult male has a large cream casque and yellowish bare skin round the eye,white belly and thighs- not Unique!, and an all white tail with a black band.
The adult female is similar but she has a smaller bill and casque.
The immature White-thighed Hornbills are duller than the adult birds with no casque on the bill. The young bird has a broad white band along the back of its wing like the black and white casqued hornbill, but the all-white tail with a black central band will be obvious to you when you observe the bird in flight.
White-thighed Hornbills feed on fruits, seeds, invertebrates, small animals and birds.
The large bill assists the bird in fighting, preening and construction in addition to catching prey.
Interesting Facts about White-thighed Hornbills
The call of a White-thighed Hornbill is a very dry and rasping long sequence of identical upslurs rrah-rrah-rrah... which sometimes accelerate.
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