Trumpeter Hornbill
Trumpeter HornbillTrumpeter HornbillTrumpeter Hornbill

Trumpeter Hornbill

Bycanistes bucinator

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
20–30% · Possible
overall probability at Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park
55 Verified records at Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park
December Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The trumpeter hornbill (Bycanistes bucinator) is a medium-sized hornbill, with length between 58 and 65 cm (23 and 26 in), characterized by a large grey casque on the bill, smaller in females. The eyes are brown or red, with pink surrounding skin. Body mass is between 0.45 and 1 kg (0.99 and 2.20 lb). It is similar to silvery-cheeked hornbill. Distinguishing features include an all-black back, white belly and white underwing coverts (in flight, wings present white tips), and red facial skin. The trumpeter hornbill is a gregarious bird, usually living in groups of two to five individuals, although sometimes as many as fifty. Wikipedia →

20–30% of wildlife watchers report a Trumpeter Hornbill sighting in Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park, based on 55 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park

Crowned Hornbill
LC

Crowned Hornbill

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Lophoceros alboterminatus

10–20% · With luck
Southern Red-billed Hornbill

Southern Red-billed Hornbill

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tockus rufirostris

Insufficient data
Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill
LC

Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tockus leucomelas

Insufficient data
Common Hoopoe
LC

Common Hoopoe

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Upupa epops

40–50% · Likely
African Hoopoe

African Hoopoe

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Upupa africana

30–40% · Possible
Common Scimitarbill
LC

Common Scimitarbill

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Rhinopomastus cyanomelas

10–20% · With luck
Green Wood Hoopoe
LC

Green Wood Hoopoe

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Phoeniculus purpureus

10–20% · With luck
Southern Ground-Hornbill
VU

Southern Ground-Hornbill

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Bucorvus leadbeateri

<5% · Rare

📅 Monthly Probability

20–30
Jan
20–30
Feb
5–10
Mar
10–20
Apr
20–30
May
20–30
Jun
5–10
Jul
10–20
Aug
10–20
Sep
20–30
Oct
20–30
Nov
30–40
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Kafue National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
40–50%
2 iSimangaliso Wetland Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
40–50%
3 Lower Zambezi National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
30–40%
4 Mana Pools National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
30–40%
5 Liwonde National Park 🇲🇼 Malawi
20–30%
6 Meru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
20–30%
7 Gonarezhou National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
20–30%
8 Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
20–30%
9 Gorongosa National Park 🇲🇿 Mozambique
10–20%
10 Tsavo East National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
10–20%
11 Selous Game Reserve 🇹🇿 Tanzania
10–20%
12 South Luangwa National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
5–10%
13 Mkomazi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
5–10%
14 Kruger National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
5–10%
15 Mikumi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
5–10%
16 Chobe National Park 🇧🇼 Botswana
<5%
17 Arusha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
18 Lake Manyara National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
19 Addo Elephant National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
20 Hwange National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
<5%
21 Tsavo West National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
22 Ngorongoro Conservation Area 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
23 Ruaha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
24 Tarangire National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Trumpeter Hornbill in Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park?

About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Trumpeter Hornbill sighting in Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park, based on 55 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Trumpeter Hornbill in Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park?

December has the highest sighting rate for Trumpeter Hornbill in Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park in our monthly data.

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