Tockus monteiri
Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%
Monteiro's hornbill (Tockus monteiri) is a species of hornbill that is native to the dry woodlands of southwestern Africa. It is a common, near-endemic species in Namibia, with a total population estimated at 340,000 individuals.
It is a medium-sized bird, 54–58 cm (21–23 in) in length. With a body mass of 210 to 400 g (7.4 to 14.1 oz), it appears to be the largest hornbill of the relatively diminutive Tockus genus. The species is characterized by a white belly, black back, with white spots on the wings and white secondary flight feathers. The outer feathers of the long tail are also white. Females are smaller than males and can be recognized by their turquoise facial skin. The eyes are black and the beak is red.
Its habitat is the savannah and dry thornveldt of northwestern Namibia and southwestern Angola. Unlike other hornbills, which are omnivorous, the Monteiro's hornbill feeds exclusively on insects and other small arthropods. In springtime, Monteiro's hornbills migrate to the southern Windhoek region to nest. They are adapted to the arid environment, and drinking is not a vital necessity for them. They breed at the end of... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Waterberg Plateau Park | 🇳🇦 Namibia | |
| 2 | Etosha National Park | 🇳🇦 Namibia |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Monteiro's Hornbill sighting in Etosha National Park on a given day, based on 76 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 147th most-seen of the 260 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
April–May and August–September
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Monteiro's Hornbill in Etosha National Park on a given day, against under 5% in June–July and October–March, the lowest months. Those are among Etosha National Park's driest months, with almost no rain against 75 mm in January.
Between 7 and 10 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Monteiro's Hornbill sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
2nd of 2
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Monteiro's Hornbill sightings, Etosha National Park ranks 2nd at under 5%. The best odds are in Waterberg Plateau Park (Namibia, about 10%).
Same genus: Tockus
The closest relatives of the Monteiro's Hornbill that you can see in Etosha National Park (genus Tockus, Red-billed and Yellow-billed Hornbills) are Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill (about 60%), Southern Red-billed Hornbill (about 30%) and Damara Red-billed Hornbill (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Monteiro's Hornbill is recorded against all the birds logged in Etosha National Park (76 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
