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News: In July, four Malabar pied hornbills were spotted near agricultural fields along the Muyyam river in Kannur district, Kerala, a first for the area.
About Hornbills
- Hornbills are a tropical birds named for their unusually large, curved bills.
- Scientific name: They scientific name Bucerotidae.
- Family: They belongs to Bucerotidae family.
- Habitat: They inhabit the canopy of tall evergreen forests.
- Distribution: They are found largely in the tropics of sub-Saharan Africa and south and south-east Asia.
- Characterstics:
- Appearance: They are easily recognised by their long, curved bills topped with a casque.
- They nest in the natural hollows of high-canopy trees, where females seal themselves inside tree cavities during breeding.
- Diet: They are one of the biggest frugivores (fruit-eating birds) in the Asian rainforest.
- Around 40-70% of their diet consists of large ficus fruits, figs, drupes and berries, usually red or black in colour.
- Appearance: They are easily recognised by their long, curved bills topped with a casque.
- Ecological significance: They are often known as ‘farmers of the forest’ due to their propensity to consume fruits and disperse seeds far and wide.
- Hornbills found in India: They are nine species of hornbill found in India:
| Species | Conservation status as per IUCN Red List of Species |
| Great hornbill (Buceros bicornis) | Vulnerable |
| Malabar grey hornbill (Ocyceros griseus) | Vulnerable |
| Malabar pied hornbill (Anthracoceros coronatus) | Near Threatened |
| Indian grey hornbill (Ocyceros birostris) | Stable population |
| Note: Most hornbill species in India are listed under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, granting them the highest level of protection. | |
