Great Hornbill

Great Hornbill (Buceros bicornis)

The Great Hornbill, also known as the concave-casqued hornbill, great Indian hornbill, or great pied hornbill, is one of the largest hornbill species. It is native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, with fragmented populations in the Western Ghats, Himalayan foothills, and Sumatra.

• Diet: Primarily frugivorous, but also feeds on small mammals, reptiles, and birds.Travancore flying squirrel, jungle owlet, and green pigeons have been recorded as prey.

• Conservation Status: Listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 2018.

• CITES Appendix I: International trade strictly regulated.

• Legal Protection: Protected under Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act.

• Cultural Significance: State bird of both Kerala and Arunachal Pradesh; important in tribal rituals and culture.

• Habitat: Prefers dense, old-growth, unlogged rainforests in hilly regions. Its range has declined due to deforestation, including local extinction in areas like the Kolli Hills.

• Home Range: In Thailand, males have a home range of about 3.7 km² in the breeding season and 14.7 km² in the non-breeding season.

• Lifespan: Can live up to 50 years in captivity.

The species' dependence on large, continuous forest areas and its vulnerability to habitat loss make it a key indicator for rainforest conservation.

Breeding & Nesting

• Breeding season: January to April.

• Forms monogamous pair bonds; group courtship involving up to 20 birds has been noted.

• Nests in hollows of large emergent trees, sealed with a fecal plaster by the female.

• Female undergoes complete moult inside the sealed nest and is fed by the male.