Diet

The great hornbill is an omnivore. Their diet is made up mostly of fruit and berries with figs being commonly eaten. This is supplemented with meat such as small mammals, reptiles, amphibians, eggs and insects.

Food is swallowed by grabbing it in the end of the beak and then throwing the head back. Larger food may be held in the bill and hit against a log before it is consumed.

Large groups of these birds gather at fruiting trees and they play an important role of spreading the seeds of these trees through the forest.

Great hornbills have not been observed drinking in the wild and it is thought all their moisture needs come from their diet.

Range

Asia is the native home of the great hornbill. Here they can be found throughout Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand and Viet Nam.

Habitat

They make their home in deciduous and evergreen forests. For nesting they require a large tree so their habitat needs to contain these.

Reproduction

Breeding begins in January and will last through till June. Before breeding the males will gather to compete for females. Males may compete in the air and this includes pairs butting their casque together in the air. The winning male gets to mate with the female.

Once a pair forms they are typically monogamous and will remain together for life. They perform a courtship display in which they will call back and forth to one another.

A pair will establish a nest in the natural hollow of a tree.

In to this nest a female will lay up to 2 eggs. These are incubated for 25-40 days. Often only one of these will hatch.

Following the laying of the eggs the female will remain in the nest and the male goes outside. From either side they work to seal the opening of the hollow with dung, bark and food leaving only a small opening.

Each day the male will find food and then pass it to the female through this opening. He makes roughly 5 visits per day. This continues for 3 months at which time the chick is large enough to be left alone and the female breaks the seal and leaves.

Once its mother is out the chick reseals the nest and the male and female will work together to feed the chick for a further month before it too leaves the nest.

After the chick has left the nest the family will move together through the forest to find food.

Their casque starts to grow at 5 months old but it may take up to 5 years to be fully formed.

Behavior

Great Indian hornbills can be heard as they move through the forest due to the loud ‘whooshing’ noise made by each wingbeat. This may be heard as much as 0.8km (0.5 miles) away.

Most great Indian hornbills live in a pair or small group with their chicks. On occasion they will form a flock of up to 20 birds to move around during the day.

At night these hornbills will meet up with potentially thousands of other great Indian hornbills to roost and when they are here they can be incredibly vocal.

Their vocalizations include ‘cackles’ and ‘roars.’

Predators and Threats

Humans affect the population of great Indian hornbills through deforestation and capture for the pet trade. Often they visit the same spots each day making it easy for poachers to locate the great Indian hornbills.

Their fat is also prized by humans for use in medical treatment and as gun polish. Their casque and feathers are also used in traditional ceremonies.

Quick facts

The great hornbill is the largest member of the hornbill family.