This is a large bird, 90-120 cm long (from the tip of the beak to the tip of the tail), weighing 2.2-2.5 kg. Their outstanding feature is their very large yellow beak, the upper beak has black lines at the base of the beak.

Living in the Northwest and North Central regions, Aceros nipalensis is one of the most impressive looking birds and is in the most endangered situation in Vietnam.

This is a large bird, adult individuals are 90-120 cm long (from the tip of the beak to the tip of the tail), weighing 2.2-2.5 kg. Their outstanding feature is their very large yellow beak, the upper beak has black lines at the base of the beak.

Males have a reddish-brown head, neck and lower body, while females have these parts black. Both sexes have an orange skin pouch under the chin, and blue skin fringes around the eyes.

Ecologically, the Hung Coc lives and settles in evergreen broadleaf forests, at altitudes from about 600 to 1,800 meters. Sometimes they are also found at low belts of 150 meters or up to 2,200 meters altitude.

According to records, there are some populations that move seasonally between different forests and areas, depending on food sources such as fruit-bearing trees.

The reproductive behavior of the hornbill is similar to other species in the Hornbill family (Bucerotidae). They nest in tree hollows 10-30 meters above the ground. The female lays 1-2 eggs, brown in color, a little smaller than chicken eggs.

In Vietnam, red horned hornbills have been seen in forests in Lao Cai, Lai Chau, Yen Bai and Nghe An. In the world, they are distributed in South Asia, South China and Southeast Asia.

In terms of conservation, this bird species is rapidly decreasing in number in Vietnam. They have disappeared in many historical distribution areas such as Muong Muon (Lai Chau), Sa Pa – Phan Si Pang (Lao Cai) and some other locations.

The main threat to the red heron is due to being hunted by local residents for meat, loss of nesting and foraging areas, and scattered habitat due to the destruction of primary forests.

In Vietnam’s Red Book, this unique bird species is listed as Extremely Endangered. In the IUCN Red List, they are a Vulnerable species. Propaganda and education efforts have been carried out in the community to protect this bird from human abuse