Mindanao Tarictic Hornbill
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The Mindanao Tarictic Hornbill (Penelopides affinis affinis) is the nominate subspecies of a hornbill living in the rainforests of Maitum, Sarangani and in many parts of the island of Mindanao, Philippines, with two other subspecies occurring on Samar, Bohol, Leyte and Basilan. Like all hornbills, this bird is distinguished by its bill with a hollow horny "casque" on top of it. This "horn" is mainly made of keratin.
Other races
There are several races of this hornbill species. Many of the tarictic (Penelopides) hornbills are now considered to be separate species. Races remaining in P. affinis are:
- Mindanao Tarictic Hornbill, P. affinis affinis = found in the islands of Sarangani and Mindanao, Philippines
- Samar Tarictic Hornbill, P. affinis samarensis = found in the islands of Samar, Bohol, and Leyte, Philippines
- Basilan Tarictic Hornbill, P. affinis basilanica = found in Basilan, Philippines
Measurements
- total length = 650 mm.
- wing = 245 to 260 mm.
- tail = 234 to 245 mm.
- horn base to bill tip = 95 to 108 mm.
- tarsus = 46 to 47 mm.
Habitat
Mindanao Tarictic Hornbills live in groups and frequent the canopy of rainforests. These birds are noisy and emit an incessant sound that sounds like ta-rik-tik, hence the name. Despite their noise they are difficult to find, being well camouflaged by the dense foliage.Diet
The principal food of Mindanao Tarictic Hornbill is fruit. It also eats insects, beetles, ants and earthworms (rarely).References
- BirdLife International (2004). [Penelopides affinis]. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 09 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
External link
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