Great Hornbill
Buceros bicornis
The Great Hornbill (Buceros bicornis) is a uncommon hornbill found in 13 countries, weighing about 2.8 kg. The great hornbill, also known as the concave-casqued hornbill, great Indian hornbill or great pied hornbill, is one of the larger members of the hornbill family.
About the Great Hornbill
The great hornbill, also known as the concave-casqued hornbill, great Indian hornbill or great pied hornbill, is one of the larger members of the hornbill family. It occurs in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. It is predominantly frugivorous, but also preys on small mammals, reptiles, and birds. It has been listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 2018. It is known to have lived for nearly 50 years in captivity. Due to its large size and colour, and importance in many tribal cultures and rituals, the Government of Kerala declared it as the official Kerala state bird. It is also the state bird of Arunachal Pradesh.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The great hornbill is a large bird, 95–130 cm (37–51 in) long, with a 152 cm (60 in) wingspan and a weight of 2 to 4 kg (4.4 to 8.8 lb). The average weight of males is 3 kg (6.6 lb) whereas that of females is 2.59 kg (5.7 lb). It is the heaviest, but not the longest, Asian hornbill. With the separation of the ground hornbills into a separate family, Bucorvidae, the great hornbill reigns as the heaviest of all typical hornbills. Females are smaller than males and have bluish-white instead of red eyes, although the orbital skin is pinkish. Like other hornbills, they have prominent "eyelashes".
Where it lives
When to see it
Best months: January, February, March, April, May, June, October, November, December, with peak activity in March. It is a variable species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Great Hornbill?
- The great hornbill is a large bird, 95–130 cm (37–51 in) long, with a 152 cm (60 in) wingspan and a weight of 2 to 4 kg (4.4 to 8.8 lb). Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Great Hornbill?
- The Great Hornbill is a huge sized bird weighing about 2.8 kg.
- Where can you see a Great Hornbill?
- The Great Hornbill occurs in 13 countries, including India, Thailand, Bhutan, Malaysia and Cambodia.
- What birds look similar to a Great Hornbill?
- The Great Hornbill is most easily confused with the Rhinoceros Hornbill and the Rufous Hornbill.
- Is the Great Hornbill endangered?
- The Great Hornbill is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Great Hornbill for real
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