the 14 types of the Tokos puts the smallest representatives of the rhinoceros-birds with 42-50 cm of length. they are widespread in Africa until on 2 southeast-Asian types.
Way of life In its habits, the Tokos differ only little from the other types of the family. So, one finds it mainly in the brushland or in light forests; here, they live in pairs, in smaller associations or in bigger swarms. Only the Zwergtoko (Tockus camurus) prefers the moist wetlands. For the natives, the presence of the Tokos announces already on big distances, because its loud ones and shrills, but quite arttypischen reputations carries very far; the Hartlaubtoko (Tockus hartlaubi) is very silent on the other hand. The sexes the mainly brownish-knows or black-and-white colored birds distinguish externally only little for itself.
Nutrition Big insects (Z) become in plentiful quantity from the Tokos. B. Locusts and termites, catches, from some types even in the flight. Stands as well, dependent on the season, nourishing fruits on the menu, that they pick directly from the trees or pick up at the ground. The Elstertoko (Tockus semifasciatus) even spends time on preference in the oil-palms and is called also "Palmvogel" in its home. In addition, some types act as nest-robbers with weaver and nectar-birds; they eat the squabs and destroy the nests completely on that occasion.
Brood The pair-formation holds the whole life with the Tokos over. The beginning of the incubation is tied above all to climatic factors, because both moist earth for the equipment of the brood-cave and a sufficient food-offer must be available for the Jungenaufzucht; that is the case in trockneren areas only after starting of the rain-time. For example, the Grautoko (Tockus nasatus) in the Senegal of August broods until September, in Nigeria of January until April and in the southern Congo of July until November.
The Tokos position the nest in a big tree-cave in the manner (exception horn-raven) typical for all rhinoceros-birds, whose entrance with moist earth, mixes with excrement or saliva, until on one narrow split is sealed. While after all this split at the tree-caves of the Kronentokos (Tockus albiterminatus, 48-50 cm of length) in 18 mm amounts, it measures only 10 at the nest of the Rotschnabeltokos (Tockus erythrorhynchus, 43-45 cm of length) mm. By this split, the female locked up in the cave is fed by the male; on the other side, its excrements can put down the female or the squabs outside. Since the brood-cave often lies highly in the trees, the split of the ground is not to be recognized and also offers protection against enemies of all the type otherwise.
Usually, 2-4 eggs become erbrütet from the female. Up to 6 eggs, that are put with a Legeabstand of 5-7 days, were counted for the Rotschnabeltoko. So the females spend a remarkable time in its cave, because also the incubation can amount up to one month. If the boys slipped, the smaller types still remain in the nest approximately 11/2 months. The mother leaves the cave with most types already 3 weeks before the boys fly out since the food can be obtained no more of the male alone. The squabs lock the entrance independently in this case from interior.
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