The yellow colouration on this hornbill’s casque and flight feathers comes from pigments produced in the preen gland at the base of the tail. The bird distributes the pigments on the casque and feathers while preening.

To compete for a mate, males engage in aerial casque-butting duels, before the start of the breeding season. The size of a male’s casque is likely a visual cue to potential mates. During courtship and after bonding, hornbill pairs perform loud and long-drawn duets. Once bonded, a pair will usually stay together for the rest of their lives.

When the breeding season starts in February, a pair chooses a tall, old-growth tree to nest in. They may return to the same tree year after year, if possible.

After selecting a tree hollow that is roomy enough, the female seals herself in by using her droppings and those of her mate to cover the entrance from the inside. A small slit is left, through which the male provides food. When in human care, they may also use soft fruits such as bananas to cover the hole. While inside the hole, the female lays and then incubates on average two eggs.

The female relies solely on the male to provide her with food during the incubation period of 38-40 days. Safely ensconced in the tree hole, the female fully moults her feathers, rendering herself flightless. She remains confined even after the chicks are hatched. Only after around five weeks will she break out of her self-imposed imprisonment. Her chicks re-seal tree hole after she leaves, and remain in it for another two weeks.. Both parents work to provide for their growing young, feeding them through the slit. Even after the young emerge, their parents continue to feed them till they reach independence at around 15 weeks of age.