The hornbill get its name from its beak. The beak is unusually large, generally curved, and often has ridges. The tail of the hornbill is long, and is made up of ten feathers. The hornbill's flight is rather clumsy because of the bird's rounded wings. Hornbills have the ability to skillfully seize swarming termites in flight, and pursue grasshoppers on the ground with clumsy leaps.
Hornbills are omnivorous birds.
They feed on insects and plant matter. At the zoo, they are fed a variety of fruits, vegetables and pelleted dry food. They wall up the entry to their nest hole, with the female inside. A small hole is left through which the male feeds his family, and the female and the young defecate. The wall of the nest hole is good protection against predators.