Birda Logo
Features
Birda+
About
Species Guide
Challenges
Shop
loading...
A photo of a Wreathed Hornbill (Rhyticeros undulatus), male
Wreathed Hornbill, Male

Wreathed Hornbill

Rhyticeros undulatus

The Wreathed Hornbill, also known as the Bar-pouched Wreathed Hornbill, is a majestic bird adorned with a long, curved bill featuring distinctive ridges or wreaths on the casque of the upper mandible in adults. The male of the species boasts a rufous crown, a white upper breast and face, and a striking yellow throat devoid of feathers. In contrast, the female is cloaked in black with a blue throat and is marginally smaller than her male counterpart.

Identification Tips

To identify the Wreathed Hornbill, look for the pale yellow bill, black legs and feet, and the black band encircling the gular skin. Males are distinguished by their bright yellow throat and white neck, while females have blue gular skin. The species exhibits sexual dimorphism, with differences in plumage and gular skin coloration becoming more pronounced as the birds mature.

Habitat

This hornbill favors the lush tropical evergreen forests, making its home in the verdant landscapes from the foothills of Northeast India and Bhutan to Bangladesh, Southeast Asia, and the Greater Sunda Islands.

Distribution

The Wreathed Hornbill's range extends across the foothills and evergreen forests of Northeast India and Bhutan to Bangladesh, Southeast Asia, and the Greater Sunda Islands, including Sumatra, Java, Borneo, and several smaller islands.

Behaviour

The Wreathed Hornbill is a sociable creature, most active in the early mornings when it embarks on foraging expeditions for fruits. It forms larger flocks than other hornbill species and remains gregarious throughout the year. The bird is known to travel considerable distances in search of fruit, even flying between islands, though it does not migrate.

Song & Calls

The Wreathed Hornbill's primary call is a resonant double yelp, often described as "coo-cuk" or "wuff-wurff." This call, typically repeated in sequences, can be heard from afar, with the second part being higher-pitched and louder. The bird also makes various other low-pitched, bisyllabic barking sounds.

Breeding

The Wreathed Hornbill is a monogamous breeder, exhibiting biparental care. It nests in tree cavities in a range of habitats, including coastal forests and foothills. The female incubates and guards the eggs alone for 40 days, and the nesting cycle lasts between 111 to 137 days.

Diet and Feeding

Primarily a frugivore, the Wreathed Hornbill feeds mainly on large fruits, such as figs, which it swallows whole, thus playing a crucial ecological role in seed dispersal. It also consumes small animals, particularly during the breeding season.

Conservation status

The Wreathed Hornbill faces threats from hunting, habitat fragmentation, and deforestation. It has been listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 2018, with the global population estimated to decrease due to these threats. International protection under CITES Appendix II and national protections in some range countries are in place to aid its conservation.

App logo
Birda is a birdwatching app and community aimed at curious people who want to deepen their connection with nature.

Wreathed Hornbills on Birda

Photos
Sightings

More Hornbills

A photo of a Rufous-necked Hornbill (Aceros nipalensis) , male

Rufous-necked Hornbill

Aceros nipalensis
Birda Logo

Your birdwatching journey like never before

Connect with nature in minutes
Take a walk, look out of the window and log the birds that you see. Feel good about those little connections to nature.
Discover the joy of birding
Find new birding spots, see more birds, share and celebrate with a like-minded community of nature lovers.
Play your part in saving nature
Logging your birding sightings and sessions turns into positive action for our planet. Every sighting counts.

Birda Blog

What Our Birders Say
Hip An
Fantastic
Really enjoying Birda where I live i have a lot of Red kites really hard to photograph but I can video are you planning some place on the app where us Birda can post vids🦉🦅
778
Great bird recording
For a while I’ve been trying to find an app to easily record bird lists and day out and struggled to find one that I like. Birda is great for this, straightforward and a great community!
Pdydhdrexgi
Fantastic App
This is a really lovely app, for everyone interested in birds - from newbies to old hands. There is a very friendly feel to the community and you will genuinely learn a lot as you record your sightings and photos. There are lots of badges and competitions to keep you engaged, and a host of really useful features.
Carrie
Makes you want to spot birds more
I think this app is fun. It makes you want to spot birds more so I guess in a way it encourages you to get out and about instead of sitting in front of the TV.
Louise L
Easy to use and accurate
Love this app. It is easy to use and accurate, Their backup communication is really good. I noted a missing species. All through the process, I was kept informed about the progress in correcting the information. I now have the corrected, updated version. 😁 Thanks!
EandB17
Terrific App for Birders
Downloaded Birda around the time my interest in birding was sparked, and it has been a terrific app to help me (1) share my experience, (2) document my sightings, and (3) learn more about birds in general. That said, I also believe Birda is a fantastic app for birders of all experience levels. Great community!
Emma L
App got me interested in birding!
Super friendly community <3 This app got me interested in birding! It teaches me cool stuff and its super friendly, and fun :) The species guide is really developing my knowledge, and i love seeing cool new birds from round the world!
Erna M
I really like Birda
I really like Birda. I also use other birding apps and have Birda with E-bird going at the same time.
Trevarthen1
Birda fan
I really enjoy using Birda, all sightings are recorded and photos can be added. There are monthly challenges which help to get you out to record your sightings. The Birda community are great and are happy to help with unidentified bird sightings. Suitable for all ages and experience!
SuperOliviaGirl
Really great app
It’s easy to use and it’s fun to log the birds you notice on a walk or just in your garden. There’s a option to record the birds you see in a session which is really nice. Good excuse to stop for a while and just watch birds. I am also enjoying the information part where you can find out fact about birds from all over the world.
As featured in
Birda Logo
AboutPressAmbassadorsAffiliatesInfluencersCareersPrivacyTerms & Conditions
An app for birdwatchers
Connect with us
Copyright © 2024 Chirp Birding. All rights reserved.