Tockus monteiri
Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~50%
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 |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Monteiro's Hornbill sighting in Waterberg Plateau Park on a given day, based on 24 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 77th most-seen of the 118 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.
January and November
In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Monteiro's Hornbill in Waterberg Plateau Park on a given day, against under 5% in September, the lowest month. Those are among Waterberg Plateau Park's wettest months, with about 70 mm of rain a month against almost none in May. April and June have too few records to rate.
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.
Yes
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Monteiro's Hornbill sightings, Waterberg Plateau Park has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Etosha National Park (Namibia, under 5%).
Same genus: Tockus
The closest relatives of the Monteiro's Hornbill that you can see in Waterberg Plateau Park (genus Tockus, Red-billed and Yellow-billed Hornbills) are Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill (about 50%), Damara Red-billed Hornbill (about 10%) and Southern Red-billed Hornbill (about 10%), 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 Waterberg Plateau Park (24 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.
