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The Blue Hornbill Bird and all hornbills are an amazing species of bird you can find 9 of which in India, though there are 62 around the world. In this article, we look at 5 of those 9 Indian charismatic birds. With their very distinct calls, long eyelashes and large beaks and striking colours they are a bird amateur and expert birdwatchers will love! The Indian Grey Hornbill The most common of this species in India by far is the Indian Grey Hornbill. It is a greyish brown colour and is the smallest of all the Indian hornbills at about 60cm long. Males have red eyes, a black orbital patch and a pointed black casque. Females have brown eyes with red patches and smaller casques than the male. You can find them in the deciduous forests as well as in cities because they are very adaptable and their preferred habitats are being destroyed. The Great Hornbill The largest hornbill in this part of the world is the Great Hornbill, also known as the Great Pied Hornbill or the Great Indian. They are found in the northeast of India and at the Himalayan foothills. They are very striking being between 95 to 130 cm long with black and white plumage and large beaks. The upper mandible is a vivid yellow and there is a very distinct casque. The males have black on the tip of the casque and females have smaller casques with no black. These Hornbills live in evergreen, deciduous, subtropical and tropical forests. Their numbers are sadly being impacted by deforestation and issues with hunting due to a myth about their meat having medicinal value. Austen’s Brown Hornbill Also known as the just the Brown Hornbill or the White-throated Brown Hornbill this bird has brown plumage and is 70 to 80 cm long. Males have white patches on their throats and cheeks and females remain brown. Compared to others in this species their casques are smaller and you can find them in the northeast. They live in broadleaf hill forests and evergreen forests. Due to issues of logging and converting forests for development, there is a major threat to their habitat. The Rufous-necked Hornbill These are on the larger side at 90 to 100cm long and as the name indicates the males are reddish-brown in colour, but the females are mostly black! Both have red gular pouches and around the eyes have some blue. You can find these Hornbills in northeast India in deciduous forests and evergreen broadleaved forests. They are also being impacted by habitat fragmentation and deforestation. The Wreathed Hornbill The Wreathed Hornbill is a blue hornbill bird with the females having beautiful gular pouches that are blue, and then the neck and head are black. Males are rufous-coloured on their heads and have a yellow gular pouch. They are mostly found in primary rainforests in the northeast of India. They require fast forest areas and that is an issue with the destruction of the forests. Conclusion Hornbills are actually essential for forest regeneration. They store their fruit in their pouches and consume it over time, spitting out seeds as they do. This seed dispersal helps regenerate tropical trees.
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