With arboreal habits, this small hornbill, the smallest in the Philippines, once spread across other islands, but has been disappearing until it is endemic to the Panay and Negros islands, located in the Visayas Archipelago. Like other species of hornbills, it has a characteristic helmet that adorns its large beak, although it does not have any specific function. Sexual dimorphism is very marked, with males being white with black wings, part of the neck and tail; and the females completely black.

During the breeding season, the female enters a hole in a hollow trunk to build the nest, while the male seals the hole with a mixture of mud, branches and food remains, leaving a small hole through which he will feed. the female with fruit and insects. The female will spend around 55 days in the nest incubating 2 to 3 eggs.

These hornbills are also known as tarictic hornbills due to their curious song, which sounds like "ta-rik-tik."

This species is rapidly disappearing due to habitat loss and hunting. It is estimated that fewer than a thousand remain at large. The Ticao Island subspecies is believed to be extinct since 2001 as no more have been seen since.