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The great hornbill (Buceros bicornis), also known as the concave-casqued hornbill, or great pied hornbill, is one of the larger members of the hornbill family. One of the bigger members of the hornbill family is the great hornbill (Buceros bicornis), also referred to as the concave-casqued hornbill or great pied hornbill. This beautiful bird can be found in Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent, and the jungles of Nepal. It is mostly a frugivore, but it also feeds on birds, reptiles, and small mammals. It has been on the IUCN Red List as Vulnerable since 2018. It is remarkably known to survive in captivity for almost 50 years. The great hornbill is an important part of Nepal's biodiversity and cultural history because of its size, remarkable colors, and important position in many tribal customs and rituals.
Description
One of the most gorgeous hornbills in the family, the huge hornbill is identified by its remarkable size and stunning features. This huge bird weighs between 2 and 4 kg (4.4 to 8.8 lb), and its length ranges from 95 to 130 cm (37 to 51 in). Its wingspan is 152 cm (60 in). Males weigh approximately 3 kg (6.6 lb) on average, while females weigh approximately 2.59 kg (5.7 lb). The great hornbill now has the title of heaviest of the common hornbills, although not being the longest or the heaviest of the Asian hornbills. The ground hornbills are now categorized into a different family, the Bucorvidae.
Females are smaller than males and have distinctive bluish-white eyes, contrasting with the red eyes of the males, although both genders possess pinkish orbital skin. Like other hornbills, they have prominent "eyelashes" that add to their distinctive appearance.
The most notable feature of the great hornbill is the bright yellow and black casque atop its massive bill. The unusual feature that gave rise to the species' Latin name, bicornis (meaning "two-horned") is its U-shaped casque, which is concave at the top and has two ridges producing points at the front. In females, the back of the casque is reddish, whereas in males, the underside of the front and back is black. The purpose of the casque is still unknown, however it is thought to be the product of sexual selection. Males frequently land on each other in midair during airborne casque butting. Additionally, they apply secretions from their yellow preen glands to their beak and primary feathers, which gives them a vivid yellow color. The black commissure of the beak has a worn-down serrated edge.
The thunderous beats of the great hornbill's wings resemble the distant sound of the steam engine starting up. They fly in a pattern of hard flaps followed by glides with their fingers spread apart and curled upward.
The great hornbill is distinct from other hornbills and, like its cousins, has highly pneumatized bones with hollow air chambers that extend to the tips of its wings. Richard Owen made the initial observation on this anatomical peculiarity when he dissected a specimen that had passed away at the Zoological Society of London in 1833.
Distribution and Habitat
The verdant woods of Sumatra, mainland Southeast Asia, Nepal, Bhutan, and India are home to the great hornbill. Its range is a little bit scattered especially in the Western Ghats and the Himalayan foothills. Regrettably, its range has been drastically decreased by widespread deforestation in many parts of Nepal, including places of Asia, where records date back to the 1860s.
Behaviour and Ecology
Larger groups may occasionally congregate around fruiting trees, although great hornbills are usually encountered in small parties. Fruit makes up the majority of their food in the wild, with figs being particularly important. There is also the important dietary source Vitex altissima. Additionally, lipid-rich fruits including Persea, Alseodaphne, and Myristica from the Lauraceae and Myristicaceae groups are consumed by these hornbills. They remarkably get all the water they require from these fruits, highlighting their significance as essential propagators of numerous forest tree species.
In addition to fruit, great hornbills consume small mammals, birds, reptiles, and insects. They have been observed foraging alongside lion-tailed macaques. While foraging, they move along branches by hopping, searching for insects, nestling birds, and small lizards. They tear up bark and inspect it for prey, which they catch, toss into the air, and swallow. In the Western Ghats, their prey has included the rare Travancore flying squirrel (Petinomys fuscocapillus), Indian scops owl (Otus bakkamoena), jungle owlet (Glaucidium radiatum), and Sri Lanka green pigeon (Treron pompadora).
Photo Credit: RoundGlass Sustain, Peapix, Birds of the world, Flickr
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