Tropical rainforest of Sulawesi island is the habitat of a lot of plants and animals. According to Avibase website, there are 530 species of birds where 89 of them are endemics.
Knobbed Hornbill (Rhyticeros cassidix) and Sulawesi Hornbill (Rhabdotorrhinus exhartus ) are two hornbill birds that are native to Sulawesi and its surrounding islands. They can be found in almost all pristine tropical forest of Sulawesi island from Karaenta in South Sulawesi to Lore Lindu National Park in Central Sulawesi, Dumoga Bone National Park in Kotamobagu regency and Tangkoko Nature Reserve in Minahasa regency.
They eat fruits such as nutmeg and ficus. Hornbills are important seed dispersers in tropical rainforest environment.
The male Sulawesi Hornbill has got yellow face and throat with black wings, body and tail. The average length of this hornbill is 45 cm. The female has got all black plumage. Genus Rhabdotorrhinus is a Greek terminology that consists of two words: Rhabdōtos meaning striped, and rhis, or rhinos meaning nose. The Latin word exhartus means prepared or composed. In other words, the scientific name of Rhabdotorrhinus exhartus describes the Sulawesi Hornbill that has got striped or channeled bill.
Temboan Hill, at the edge of Tangkoko Nature Reserve is the place where birdwatchers and photographers could see them well. There are some roosting trees in the area that can be observed from the hill.
In addition to hornbills, there are a lot of other birds that visitors could watch in Sulawesi island including Sulawesi-crested Myna, Finch-billed Myna, Black-naped Oriole, Sulawesi Hanging Parrot, Pygmy Hanging Parrot, Minahasa Racquet-tail, Black-naped Fruit-dove, Gray-cheeked Green Pigeon, Green Imperial Pigeon, Sulawesi Brush Cuckoo, Sulawesi Cicadabird, and etc.
If you want a guide to arrange your birding tour in Indonesia and guide you during the trip, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to: +6281332245180.