Hornbill

Hornbills are birds found in the tropics and subtropics of Asia, Africa and Melanesia. They have a long and down curved bill.

Key Facts for UPSC Examinations

• Hornbills are capable of dispersing 12,000 large seeds per day per square kilo meter. Therefore, they help create fruit orchards.
• They have symbiotic relations with the canopy trees in the tropical forests. They get food from these trees and in return they scatter their seeds and create orchards.
• They are one among few birds that feed on large fruits and disperse their undamaged seeds.
• India is home to nine hornbill species. They are mostly found in the north eastern regions
• The Great Hornbill is the state bird of Kerala and Arunachal Pradesh.

Cultural Significance

The Nyishi of Arunachal Pradesh and several other ethnic communities consider hornbills as their cultural symbols. They are referred to as farmers of forest and forest engineers as they play a major role in dispersing the seeds of tropical trees.

Hornbill Festival

The Hornbill festival is celebrated in Nagaland. It is celebrated in the first week of December. The festival aims to preserve and revive the uniqueness of the Naga culture and heritage. It is considered as the Festival of festivals in the state. It is named after the bird as it is most admired and revered.

Conservation

The Great Hornbill has been listed as Vulnerable under the IUCN red list. Also, they are protected under Schedule I of Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. According to the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) around 40% of the hornbills are threatened. The rest are listed as Least Concern.

Threats

The hornbills are hunted for their upper beak called casques, feather. Also, they are poached for their medicinal values.