Description
Bird, Tockus deckeni, Von der Decken’s Hornbill skull, specimen from Tanzania.
We have a few of this species. We will be happy to choose one for you, or feel free to reach out us, and we will be happy to send you pics so you can choose.
Von der Decken’s Hornbill is one of the smaller African hornbills, and adults have a noticeably reddish-orange patch on the upper mandible near the base, a key field mark that helps distinguish it from similar Tockus species.
Von der Decken’s Hornbill (Tockus deckeni) inhabits the dry savannas and thorn scrub of East Africa, where its compact size and agile flight allow it to move easily between scattered trees. The warm orange-red on the bill, combined with stark black-and-white plumage, makes it visually striking despite its modest scale. This coloration is thought to play a role in species recognition and courtship signaling.
Like all hornbills, it is famous for its extraordinary nesting behavior: the female walls herself into a tree cavity with a mixture of mud, fruit pulp, and droppings, leaving only a narrow slit. The male then feeds her and the growing chicks through this opening, turning the hollow into a sealed nursery safe from predators.
