- Great Hornbill
Taxobox
name = Great Hornbill
status = NT | status_system = IUCN3.1
image_width = 225px
regnum =Animal ia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Aves
ordo =Coraciiformes
familia =Bucerotidae
genus = "Buceros "
species = "B. bicornis"
binomial = "Buceros bicornis"
binomial_authority = Linnaeus, 1758The Great Hornbill, "Buceros bicornis" also known as Greater Indian Hornbill or Two-horned Calao, is the largest Asian member of thehornbill family. Great Hornbill is distributed in the forests ofIndia , theMalay Peninsula andSumatra ,Indonesia . Their impressive size and colour have helped make them a part of local tribal cultures and rituals. The Great Hornbill is long-lived with a lifespan approaching 50 years in captivity.Description
The Great Hornbill is a large bird, 95-120 cm (38-47 in) long, with a 152 cm (60 in) wingspan and a weight of 2.15-4 kg (4.7-8.8 lbs). The most prominent feature of the hornbill is the bright yellow and black casque on top of its massive bill. The casque is hollow and serves no known purpose (“tame” hornbills are known to enjoy having them scratched) although they are believed to be the result of
sexual selection . Male hornbills have been known to indulge in aerial casque butting flights. [Ramans, T. R. Shankar (1998) Aerial casque-butting in the Great Hornbill "Buceros bicornis". Forktail 13 [http://www.orientalbirdclub.org/publications/forktail/13pdfs/Shankar-Hornbill.pdf PDF] ] Females are smaller than males and have blue instead of red eyes. The male spreads the preen gland secretion which is yellow onto the primaries and bill to give them the bright yellow colour. [Ali, Salim (reprinted 2004) Birding in Travancore: Stray impressions of a rambling ornithologist. Hornbill Oct-Dec):4] [Kemp, A. C. 2001. Family Bucerotidae (hornbills). Pages 436–523 in J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, and J. Sargatal, eds. Handbook of the birds of the world. Vol. 6. Mousebirds to hornbills. Lynx, Barcelona.]Female hornbills build nests in hollows of large tree trunks and the opening is sealed with feces, wood bark and dirt. She remains imprisoned in her nest until the chicks are semi-developed relying on the male to bring her food. During this period the female undergoes a complete moult. She is fed by her mate through a slit in the seal. The clutch consists of one or two eggs she incubates for 38-40 days.
In the wild, the Great Hornbill's diet consists mainly of fruit. It will also eat small mammals, birds, lizards, snakes and insects.
The Great Hornbills form monogamous pair bonds and live out their lives in groups of 2-40 individuals. Group courtship displays involving up to 20 birds have been observed.
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