It is found from Senegal and Gambia to southern Mauritania and western Mali.

There are five species of red-billed hornbills generally recognized now, but all five were once considered conspecific.

They have white plumage on their faces and large dark grey eye rings.

Their wings are like all red-billed hornbills, with large and small circles of white feathers surrounded by black feathers on the exterior and white on the upper half of the interior and black on the lower half of the interior.

They have long tail feathers that are black on the exterior and a greyish white on the interior.