07/09/2026
Onto our 8th section of Negros Forest Park, we would like to take you to the Hornbill Canopy, home to some of largest and remarkable species of Hornbills in the Philippines.
Did you know that the Philippines is Home to not one but 11 different species of Hornbills and each one is unique to their respective region but all share one common feature - their large helm like crest on top of their beak which gave their name and is use for communicating and to attract a mate.
Hornbills live from primary to montane forests where there's an abundance of trees for them to perch and build nest. They're omnivorous birds and would feed on fruit, berries, insects,and small vertebrates.
Sadly, these iconic birds are facing an uncertain future as habitat loss and poaching for the illegal wildlife trade continue to decline their numbers which results to many of them enlisted Endangered to Critically Endangered.
Here in Negros Park Forest, we house four species of endemic hornbills from the smallest Visayan Tarictic Hornbill to the largest Southern Rufous Hornbill of Mindanao. Its also one of the last refudge of the Critically endangered Rufous Headed Hornbill or known locally as the "Talarak" (which inspires the name of our foundation);
These birds used to lived in our rainforests in Negros but now sadly declared as functionally extinct in the wild.
Thankfully, with the help of captive breeding and habitat restoration, these birds will make a come back and hopefully one day reintroduce them back to our forests of Negros where they'll continue dispersing seeds and maintaining small animal population.
Come and meet our majestic Hornbills in the Hornbill Canopy in your next visit.
