The Crowned hornbill is mainly found in East and South Africa, including the islands of Zanzibar (where I photographed it) and Pemba. It feeds on small birds, small rodents, lizards and insects such as grasshoppers. It supplements this with fruit. When it enters agricultural areas, it likes to eat palm fruit, peanuts, maize and bananas. The nest is built in natural cavities or in a strong branch and is bricked up, except for an entrance hole. The male provides bark flakes as a substrate. After the female enters the nest, she closes it with her own feces, leaving only an opening for food to enter. She lays two to five white eggs. The male feeds the female and the chicks through the hole as long as they are in the nest. The female takes the opportunity to molt while she is confined during the breeding period.