AFRICAN GREY HORNBILL

Tockus nasutus

When the female Grey hornbill lays her eggs in a hollow tree, she builds a wall of mud, droppings, and fruit pulp to seal herself in with the un-hatched chicks during incubation. The male hornbill passes food in through a small hole until the chicks are hatched and too large. The mother then breaks out and feeds the chicks through the wall until they are large enough to leave the nest. Grey hornbills are large birds at 45 cm long, but are relatively short compared to other hornbills. They feed mainly on insects, fruits, nuts, and reptiles, and will spend the majority of their life up in the trees of sub-Saharan Africa.