Rufous-headed Hornbill

 Scientific Name: Rhabdotorrhinus waldeni

 Order: Bucerotiformes
 Family: Bucerotidae
Identification
It is 60-65 cm. Medium-sized, forest-dwelling hornbill. Male has rufous
head, neck and upper breast, Rest of body plumage are blackish with glossed
green upper part, Black tail, broad white central band which stains buff
through preening, it has Red bill and large casque, Orange bare orbital and
gular skin, while Female are similar though black head, white bare orbital
and gular skin tinged with blue, and black under parts and smaller
casque. Similar spp. Visayan Tarictic Penelopides panini much smaller, pale
base to tail and male has whitish head. Voice Loud, deep, short, cackling trill
regularly repeated.
Roles in the Environment
Hornbills are the farmers of the forest. They are large, fruit-eating birds which live in sub-tropical forests of
Asia and Africa. Because of their ability to commute over long distances, they are of extreme importance for the
dispersal of seeds and therefore for plant reproduction.
Justification of Red List Category
The remaining population of this species is extremely small and severely fragmented. A combination of
extensive loss of low to mid-altitude forest and hunting have resulted in an extremely rapid population decline,
although effective conservation measures on Panay offer hope that declines can be stopped. Nevertheless it
remains listed as Critically Endangered.
Population justification
There were 752 active nest holes in the Central Panayan Mountain Range in 2007 (E. Curio in litt. 2008). This
represents 1,504 mature individuals, and so it is sensible to estimate the mature population to number in
between 1,000-2,499. This equates to 1,500-3,749 individuals in total, rounded here to 1,500-4,000 individuals.
Trend justification
This species population is presumed to have decreased extremely rapidly in line with habitat loss, degradation,
and hunting within its range over the last three generations. Although conservation measures on Panay have
successfully reduced nest poaching, habitat loss and degradation is continuing and declines may continue in the
future.
Distribution and Population
This species is endemic to the Western Visayas in the Philippines, where it is presumed to have occurred on
three islands: Guimaras, Negros and Panay. It is now absent from Guimaras and survives only on Negros and
Panay (Collar et al. 1999). By 2006, the population in the Central Panay Mountain Range (CPMR) had been
found by PhilConserve (formerly PESCP) to contain 502 breeding pairs (E. Curio in litt. 2007, 2008), with
1,018 active nest holes located in 2008 (Alabado et al. 2009). There have been no breeding records since 1997
(one pair) in the north-west Panay Peninsula where, however, no systematic search has been conducted. Due to
the small size of the remaining forest in the peninsula (c. 5,000 ha) any breeding there may have been sporadic
and it has since almost certainly been extirpated, despite pro-active anti-poaching and other forest wardening
activities orchestrated by local support groups (W. Oliver in litt. 2007). There are unconfirmed records from
Balinsasayao Twin Lakes Natural Park and Calinawan Forest on Negros (P. Jakosalem in litt. 2012) and it has
been suggested that the species may be functionally extinct on Negros (E. Curio in litt. 2007, 2008, J.
Gonzalez in litt. 2012). However local surveys recently found the species in three separate areas on Negros
(Marseille 2013). The North Negros Natural Park probably supports the largest remaining population on Negros
(Marseille 2013).
Ecology
It inhabits closed-canopy forests, also frequenting logged areas and occasionally isolated trees in clearings. It is
probably adapted to lower or mid-elevation forest, with records from 400-1,200 m asl on Panay and 300-950 m
asl on Negros. It is omnivorous, taking some animal matter to its nests (Kauth et al. 1998) and feeding in the
canopy on figs and other fruits. It may make local nomadic movements in response to food availability. It nests
in large trees.
Threats
Chronic deforestation has led to its extinction on Guimaras and its extreme scarcity elsewhere. An estimated 4% of
Negros and 8% of Panay remained forested in 1988, although this has reportedly since been reduced to c. 3% and c. 6%,
respectively (W. Oliver in litt. 2007). Only 10% (c. 110 km2) of this is thought to be below 1,000 m asl. It heavily utilises
(at least temporally) forest fruits and thus is adversely affected by deforestation. Hunting has reportedly had severe
impacts in the past, with one estimate of up to a quarter of the (then estimated) population of north-west Panay shot in a
single day in 1997, although the validity of this report is uncertain. It tends to gather in fruiting trees and reportedly
congregates around injured members of the flock (Marseille 2013), which makes it particularly vulnerable to hunting.
Nest poaching, whether for sale of incumbent females and their dependant chicks for human consumption or into local
bird trade, is the most serious threat. Poaching affected c. 50% of broods before the implementation of a nest guarding
scheme which now protects about two thirds of all broods in the Central Panay Mountain Range, but until the nest
guarding scheme can be expanded the remaining third are still vulnerable (W. Oliver in litt. 2007; E. Curio in litt. 2007,
2008). Habitat degradation as a result of Typhoon Haiyan in 2013 may have impacted negatively on the species (De Win
2013, J. Taylor in litt. 2013).

Conservation of Rufous Headed-Hornbill and their nest in the wild

Found hornbills are treated by veterinarians. Young birds are reared there until they are fully grown. After
rehabilitation and a final health check, the birds are released back into the wild. Surveillance of nests of the
large and particularly threatened Dulungan (Rhabdotorrhinus waldeni).The losses from poaching (brood and
sometimes also females killed) dropped from previously 50% to 5% since 2001.
Suggestion on how to Conserve this Bird:
The Government, most specially the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) should mark
all the captured hornbill with a tracking device in order to know their locations in order to know if they are still
alive, and if not they can investigate to know how the bird died. As for the Local Government Units (LGU) they
should put more effort in conserving their natural habitats because we humans are also dependent to nature just
like them.