The Malabar Pied Hornbills (Anthracoceros coronatus) are a species of hornbill. Hornbills are a family of tropical near-passerine birds found in the Old World (Africa, Asia, and Europe).
Description
The Malabar Pied Hornbill is a large hornbill, at 65cm in length. It has mainly black plumage apart from its white belly, throat patch, tail sides, and trailing edge to the wings. The bill is yellow with a large, mainly black casque (a large display growth on the upper mandible of the bill). Males and females look alike, but immatures have a smaller casque.
Hee Malabar Pied Hornbill is a large hornbill, at 65cm in length. It has mainly black plumage apart from its white belly, throat patch, tail sides, and trailing edge to the wings. The bill is yellow with a large, mainly black casque (a large display growth on the upper mandible of the bill). Males and females look alike, but immatures have a smaller casque.
Distribution
The Malabar Pied Hornbill is a common resident breeder in tropical southern Asia from India and Sri Lanka east to Borneo. Its habitat is open woodland and cultivation, often close to habitation.
In central India, tribals believed that hanging the skull of the hornbill (known as dhanchidiya) brought wealth.
The species can be found in India in three main zones: the central and eastern parts of the country, the Western Ghats to the southwest, and other pockets in forested areas. Its range in central and eastern India includes West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Odisha. Also included are parts of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. The species is found in forested areas along the Western Ghats from western Maharashtra to Goa, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu. In Sri Lanka, it is found in lowland forests, dry zone wood, and semi-forest patches near human settlements.
Hornbills prefer moist deciduous and evergreen forests. They are often found near watercourses and riverine zones. It is often found near human settlements, as long as there are suitable fruiting trees and nesting trees. It is often found in mosaics of mixed forests or patches of forest that remain in agricultural landscapes. Because it relies on large, mature trees with cavities suitable for nesting, the bird is vulnerable when forest clearing or logging removes these essential components of its habitat.
Breeding
During incubation, the female lays two or three white eggs in a tree hole, which is blocked off with a cement made of mud, droppings, and fruit pulp. There is only one narrow aperture, just big enough for the male to transfer food to the mother and the chicks.
When the chicks and the female are too big to fit in the nest, the mother breaks out and rebuilds the wall, then both parents feed the chicks.
Diet / Feeding
This species is omnivorous, taking fruit, fish, and small mammals.
Figs form an important part of their diet and contribute to 60% of their diet from May to February, the non-breeding season, and during breeding (March to April), up to 75% of the fruits delivered at the nest were figs.
They also feed on other fruits, including those of the Strychnos nux-vomica, which are known to be toxic to many vertebrates.
The hornbill eats a wide variety of fruits, including some that are toxic to other animals. It eats, for example, fruits from Strychnos Nux vomica, which contain compounds that are harmful to vertebrates. The ability of the fruit to be handled by it suggests that it has adapted to a physiological level that allows access to resources not used by many competitors.
During the breeding season, when it needs more protein, animal prey is a great addition to its diet. Birds, insects, small mammals, reptiles, and fish are all possible prey for the bird. This is especially common in hornbills when prey is small. According to eBird, this species is well documented.
Hornbills forage in the canopy. They pluck or glean fruits and insects off the foliage. Sometimes they descend to the ground to collect fallen fruit. When prey is caught, it may be beaten or manipulated against the perch to subdue the animal and remove unwanted parts before swallowing. According to RSPB, this species is well documented.
The large bill allows it to reach fruiting branches that are out of reach for smaller frugivores. It fills a niche in fruit access. The Malabar Pied Hornbill is a key player in the dispersal of seeds throughout the landscape.
References
- BirdLife International (2004). Anthracoceros coronatus. 2006. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) 2006. Retrieved on 11 May 2006. Database entry includes a brief justification of why this species is near threatened
- Birds of India by Grimmett, Inskipp and Inskipp, ISBN 0-691-04910-6
The Hornbill’s Voice
The Malabar Pied Hornbill does not live in a silent world. Its vocal repertoire, which is varied and expressive, serves to establish territories, attract mates, and communicate between pairs as well as warn intruders.
The most common vocalization heard is a sequence of loud cackling sounds. These calls can start softly, but build up in intensity. Other hornbills will sometimes respond to these calls, forming duets or even overlapping exchanges. The cackles can be heard through the forest canopy and can reverberate for long distances. Early morning and late afternoon are times when the forest soundscapes are most receptive.
Staccato, shorter calls can include sharp whistles, or rhythmic clucks, followed by louder notes or a sudden ending. They are repeated with short pauses and serve as territorial or contact announcements. The vocal activity increases when hornbills gather at communal roosts at dusk or before they settle in.
Vocal communication is essential because the female is confined to the nest cavity for incubation and the early stages of chick rearing. The male feeds the chicks through the narrow slit. Voices can help to maintain coordination, signal disturbances, a nd even indicate the presence of the female.
The observations suggest that the intensity and frequency of vocalizations may vary with forest conditions, disturbances, and social dynamics. However, much remains to be learned about its full vocal repertoire.
Breeding
The reproduction of hornbills is fascinating, and the Malabar Pied Hornbill does not disappoint. Its breeding strategy, which is highly specialized and dependent on forest structure, is dramatic.
Breeding season usually begins early in the spring and lasts through early summer. (March to June is common in most areas.) The female chooses a cavity in a tree, usually high up in a mature forest tree. She enters the cavity to lay two or three eggs. She seals the opening with a mixture made of mud and droppings.
During the sealed period, females remain inside the nest with the eggs, nd then the chicks. They molt flight feathers and are completely dependent on the male to provide food. The male is responsible for hunting and delivering prey and fruits through the aperture of the cavity. When food is scarce, a female can help by partially reopening slits to receive food. This happens rarely.
The female will break out of the nest wall as the chicks get bigger and the space in the cavity gets smaller. The couple then rebuilds the nest wall, and both parents will feed the chicks outside the nest. When they are fully developed, the chicks leave their nest and venture into the forest canopy.
Ecological Role
The Malabar Pied Hornbill is not only important for its own survival but also plays an important role in forest ecology. It is a frugivore, and it disperses seeds. This helps to regenerate forest landscapes by allowing native species of fruit trees and figs. The seeds carried a distance from the parent trees maintain genetic diversity and forest resilience. Hornbills can act as ecological connectors in fragmented landscapes by promoting the recruitment of trees across forest gaps.
The hornbill has a lot of cultural and symbolic significance for local communities. The hornbill’s striking call, large size, and nesting habits have inspired many myths, conservation efforts, and traditions. In areas where the hornbill is still thriving, it becomes a “flagship species” that attracts public attention and promotes environmental awareness and forest conservation.
Conclusion
The Malabar Pied Hornbill is a familiar sight in the forests of India, Sri Lanka, a nd other parts of South Asia. The black-and white plumage of this bird, its towering casque and bill, and its melodic vocalizations are what make it so captivating. The very characteristics that make this bird so fascinating make it vulnerable. Its dependence on mature forests, large trees to nest in, and abundant fruit means that any fragmentation or degradation of the forest could threaten its survival.
Conserving the hornbill involves more than just preserving a species. It is also about ensuring forest ecosystem integrity, protecting biodiversity, and encouraging local stewardship. Any effective conservation strategy must include community-based efforts, the legal protection of nesting trees and forests, and public education.
