ANATOMY OF BIRDS
GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION
MIGRATIONS OF BIRDS
CLASSIFICATION OF BIRDS
LIZARD-TAILED BIRD
AMERICAN TOOTHED-BIRDS
THE OSTRICHES
THE RHEAS
EMEUS AND CASSOWARIES
THE TINAMOUS
THE KIWIS
THE PENGUINS
LOONS AND GREBES
ALBATROSSES & PETRELS
STORK-LIKE BIRDS
GOOSE-LIKE BIRDS
FALCON-LIKE BIRDS
FOWL-LIKE BIRDS
CRANE-LIKE BIRDS
PLOVER-LIKE BIRDS
CUCKOO-LIKE BIRDS
THE ROLLER-LIKE BIRDS
SPARROW-LIKE BIRDS
Birds and Birding's Guide to:
Watching THE ROLLER-LIKE BIRDS
THE ROLLERS AND THEIR ALLIES
THE HORNBILLS
(Family Bucerotidae)
It is hardly necessary to state that the Hornbills comprise a very remarkable and strongly marked group of birds, the members of which are not likely to be confounded by even the casual observer with any other group, unless perhaps the Toucans; but as the latter are exclusively Mexican to South American, while the Hornbills are confined to the Old World, the possibility of such confusion is reduced to a minimum.
Curiously enough these great birds, with such grotesquely enormous bills, appear to find their closest relationship with the graceful little Hoopoes; so closely, in fact, are they related that Gadow would only accord them subfamily rank under the Upupida; but the differences in structure, appearance, and life habits are so very marked that they seem entitled at least to full family rank, and many systematists have placed them still higher.
Their resemblance to the Toucans is brought about by the somewhat similarly appearing large bills, but this likeness is quite superficial, and there is really no close relationship between them.
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