This hornbill has strongly different male and female plumage and lives in forests on Mindanao and nearby islands in the Philippines.
The male has a creamy-white head and underparts, with dark brown back and cheeks. Its pale tail has a black tip, and the bill has prominent ridges. The female is mostly black, with a pale tail and blue facial skin.
It uses primary rainforest, secondary forest, and forest edges from the lowlands up to about 900 m. It moves within and just below the canopy, eating fruit, seeds, lizards, and beetles. It is described as sedentary and territorial and is usually seen in pairs or small groups.
Juveniles of both sexes resemble the adult male in plumage but have smaller brown bills.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.