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| The Splendid Winged Regal Guardian of the Treetops – The Great Hornbill, Female |
| The Great Hornbill, also known as the Great Indian Hornbill is a large bird with a distinctive casque on its beak and is known for its presence in dense evergreen forests. It is listed as Vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). It has a large yellow bill and casque, black face, wings, and breast contrast with white neck, belly, and tail. Sexes are similar, except that females have an entirely yellow casque, a pale iris, and bare pink skin around the eye. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. …. ……. . .. … …… ………………………. ………….. ……………….. .. …. …. ……….. … …. ……….. … …. ………… ………….. ………… ………… ….. ………. …………. …….. ……………. …… …. …. ……….. … …. ……….. .. ………… ….. ………. …………. …….. …… The Great Hornbill also known as the Concave-Casqued Hornbill, Great Indian Hornbill or Great Pied Hornbill and is one of the larger members of the Hornbill family. It is a very large bird, measuring 95 to 130 cm long, with a 152 cm wingspan and a weight of 2 to 4 kg. The average weight of males is 3 kg whereas that of 3 females is 2.59 kg. It is the heaviest, but not the longest, Asian hornbill. It has a black band across white tail; long, deep bill, and white plumage areas of head, neck and wing-coverts, usually cosmetically coloured yellow with preen oil. The Male has flat casque double-pointed at front, with black rim; black-rimmed red eyes. Female is smaller, has a casque that is smaller and without black; eyes white, with red rim that flushes brighter when breeding. Like other hornbills, they have prominent “eyelashes”. Juvenile with blue-grey eyes, and small casqueless bill which grows to maturity over five years. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. …. ……. . .. … …… ………………………. ………….. ……………….. .. …. …. ……….. … …. ……….. … …. ………… ………….. ………… ………… ….. ………. …………. …….. ……………. …… …. …. ……….. … …. ……….. .. ………… ….. ………. …………. …….. …… The most prominent feature of the Hornbill is the bright yellow and black casque on top of its massive bill. The casque appears U-shaped when viewed from the front, and the top is concave, with two ridges along the sides that form points in the front. The back of the casque is reddish in females, while the underside of the front and back of the casque is black in males. The casque is hollow and serves no known purpose, although it is thought to be the result of sexual selection. Male hornbills indulge in aerial casque butting, with birds striking each other in flight. The Male spreads the preen gland secretion, which is yellow, onto the primary feathers and bill to give them the bright yellow colour. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. …. ……. . .. … …… ………………………. ………….. ……………….. .. …. …. ……….. … …. ……….. … …. ………… ………….. ………… ………… ….. ………. …………. …….. ……………. …… …. …. ……….. … …. ……….. .. ………… ….. ………. …………. …….. …… The Great Hornbills are found in India, Bhutan, Nepal, Mainland South East Asia, the Indonesian Island of Sumatra, and the North Eastern region of India. In the subcontinent, they are found in the Western Ghats and in the forests along the Himalayas. They are found in large tracts of primary evergreen forest, but will cross open areas between forest patches; occurs at up to 2000 mtrs. It prefers dense old growth unlogged forests in hilly regions. It appears to be dependent on large stretches of rain forests. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. …. ……. . .. … …… ………………………. ………….. ……………….. .. …. …. ……….. … …. ……….. … …. ………… ………….. ………… ………… ….. ………. …………. …….. ……………. …… …. …. ……….. … …. ……….. .. ………… ….. ………. …………. …….. …… The Great Hornbills are social birds that live in small groups of 2 to 40 individuals. They are usually seen in small parties, with larger groups sometimes aggregating at fruit trees. These birds are active during the day and when the night comes, they gather in large communal roosts on the highest branches with little foliage. Their wing beats are heavy, and the sound produced by birds in flight can be heard from a distance. This sound has been likened to the puffing of a steam locomotive starting up. The flight involves stiff flaps followed by glides with the fingers splayed and upcurled. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. …. ……. . .. … …… ………………………. ………….. ……………….. .. …. …. ……….. … …. ……….. … …. ………… ………….. ………… ………… ….. ………. …………. …….. ……………. …… …. …. ……….. … …. ……….. .. ………… ….. ………. …………. …….. …… The Great Hornbills are herbivores (frugivores). Their diet consists mainly of fruit, especially different types of figs. These birds also occasionally feed on small mammals, birds, small reptiles, and insects. They mainly forage along branches, moving along by hopping, feeding on fruits, and looking for insects, nestling birds, and small lizards, tearing up bark and examining them. Prey is caught, tossed in the air, and swallowed. In one day, Great Hornbills can visit several fruiting trees and travel long distances to feed and are important dispersers of many forest tree species. These are very loud and vocal birds; when communicating with each other within communal roosts, they produce deep, hoarse grunts, roars, and barks. Feeds mainly in canopy, but will descend to ground for fallen fruit. Usually feeds in pairs or family groups. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. …. ……. . .. … …… ………………………. ………….. ……………….. .. …. …. ……….. … …. ……….. … …. ………… ………….. ………… ………… ….. ………. …………. …….. ……………. …… …. …. ……….. … …. ……….. .. ………… ….. ………. …………. …….. …… During the breeding season which takes place from January to April, these birds become very vocal. They make loud duets, beginning with a loud “kok” given about once a second by the male, to which the female joins in. The pair then calls in unison, turning into a rapid mixture of roars and barks. They also have a series of short, resonant, growling rroh calls. In flight, pairs call in an antiphonal manner, which involves alternating between two groups or sides, often in a responsive or echoing way on two different pitches rroh-rroh…. …. ………. …… ………….. ………… ………… …. … … …… ………….. ………… ………… ….. ………………….. … ………… ….. ………. …… ………….. …………………….. … ………… ….. ………. …… ………….. ………….. …… ………….. …………………….. … ………… ….. ………. …………. ….. ………. …… ………… ………….. ………….. ….. ………. …….. ………… ………….. ….. ……….. …… ………….. ………… ……….. Description Credit Birds of the World (The Cornell Lab), Oiseaux, Birda, Animalia, Nepal Desk, Ogaclicks, Birds of India | Bird World, Bird Count India & Wiki. |
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