GENERAL INFORMATION

Other common names in use include: Writhe-billed hornbill, White-headed hornbill, Wrinkled hornbill.

Range, habitat, and status

This species is found on Mindanao and surrounding islands in the Philippines where it inhabits evergreen dipterocarp forest below 1000 meters. The current status in the wild is unknown. Collar, et. al. (1994) lists this species as endangered due to hunting and loss of habitat. Kemp (1995) implies that it is declining over most of its range, due to loss of preferred habitat.

Captive propagation.

The first known captive breeding of this species occurred in 1989 at Miami Metrozoo (Jung 1991). Myers (in press) wrote about the successful breeding at Audubon Park and Zoological Garden. This pair had hatched nine and fledged eight birds. Unfortunately, the breeding female died 11 May 1998. All the surviving offspring (2.2 presently) are in European collections (Parque El Retiro in Malaga, Spain and Chester Zoo in the United Kingdom).
San Diego Zoo has a pair of birds, the female having been captive hatched at Miami Metro Zoo in 1989. She first reproduced when she was four years old. In 1999, one chick was hand reared from this pair. Presently there are only 2.2 birds in this region (in two institutions).

Koen Brouwer has begun collecting information for an international studbook for this species (pers. comm.)