The Rufous Hornbill (Buceros hydrocorax), also known as Philippine Hornbill and, locally, as Kalaw (pronounced kah-lau) is a large species of hornbill.

Distribution and habitat

It is endemic to the Philippines, where it occurs in primary, mature secondary and disturbed forests on 11 islands: Luzon and Marinduque (race hydrocorax), Samar, Leyte, Bohol, Panaon, Biliran, Calicoan and Buad (race semigaleatus), Dinagat, Siargao, Mindanao (plus Balut, Bucas and Talicud) and Basilan (race mindanensis). It is still common locally, notably in the Sierra Madre of Luzon, but continues to suffer from substantial hunting pressure and widespread loss of habitat.

Description

The bill of the nominate subspecies is all-red, while the bills of the subspecies semigaleatus and mindanensis are pale yellow on the distal half.

Behaviour

It is sometimes called "the clock of the mountains" because of its periodic noontime call.

Breeding

As with other hornbills, females seal themselves within the nest cavity, where they lay the clutch and remain with the growing young for most or all of the nesting period. In some species the male helps with the sealing process from outside the nest cavity. The nestlings and female are fed by the male through a narrow vertical slit in the sealed nest opening.