Both parents continue to care for the chicks until they are old enough to break out of the nest on their own and fly free. When the chicks are about three months old, the female breaks herself out - and both parents and offspring collaborate to re-seal the chicks inside for another three months. The female keeps the inside of the nest cavity clean by pushing uneaten food and fecal matter back out through the same slit. The pair leaves only a small slit, through which the male feeds the female (and later the chicks) for the next four to five months. When the female is ready to lay her eggs, she goes into a hollow tree cavity and helps the male seal the entrance with a paste made of fruit, mud, and feces. Rhinoceros Hornbills (like other hornbills) practice one of the most ingenious nesting rituals of any bird. The diet of the rhinoceros hornbill is dominated by fruit, but it will take any insect, small reptile, rodent, and smaller birds that it can catch. ![]() ![]() The eyes of the male are red with black rims, and white with red rims in the female. The huge bill and casque are orange and red, the colour coming from preen oil rubbed on from the preen gland above the tail. The plumage is predominately black, with white legs and vent and a white tail with a black band. When she is ready to incubate the eggs, she will seal herself inside of the nest cavity with mud and scat, leaving only a small slit to pass food through relying solely on her mate to provide her with food and. The rhinoceros hornbill is a large arboreal hornbill, 80 to 90 cm (31–35 in) long. Rhinoceros Hornbills are cavity nesters, meaning the female hornbill will lay her eggs inside a hollowed out tree.
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