WHITE CROWNED HORNBILL

BURUNG ENGGANG JAMBUL PUTIH

White crowned Hornbill (Berenicornis comatus)

Cameron Highland

The White-crowned Hornbill, also known as the long-crested hornbill, is a fascinating bird native to Southeast Asia, including the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, and Borneo. It is a large hornbill species, measuring about 83–102 cm in length and weighing between 1.3–1.5 kg.

This bird has striking black-and-white plumage. Its head, neck, breast, and tail are white, while the rest of its body is black. The "white crown" refers to the bushy crest of white feathers on its head. It also has bare dark blue skin around its eyes and throat, and its bill is mostly black with a yellowish base. Males are predominantly white from the head to the belly, while females have black necks and underparts.

White-crowned Hornbills are omnivorous, feeding on fruits, lizards, arthropods, and larvae. They inhabit rainforests at low and medium altitudes, usually below 900 meters, and can sometimes be found in plantations. These birds are social and often forage in flocks.

Their nesting behavior is unique: the female seals herself inside a tree cavity using mud and debris, leaving only a small hole through which the male and other group members feed her and the chicks. Once the chicks are ready to fly, the female breaks out of the nest.

White-crowned Hornbill is classified as "Endangered" on the IUCN Red List due to habitat destruction and declining forest areas. 

Note: While driving down from Cameron Highland, I suddenly saw a pair of hornbills, flying to land on a roadside tree. I immediately stopped the car and immediately reached for the camera to take a picture of this pair of birds before they flew to the next mountain valley.

IUCN Redlist 2018 - Endangered (EN)

CINTAI ALAM SEMULAJADI FLORA DAN FAUNA KITA