Great Hornbills also known as the great Indian hornbill or great pied hornbill, is one of the larger members of the hornbill family. They are the largest hornbills in India (112-150 cm), males: 2.6 to 3.9 kg; females: 2.16 – 3.35 kg. It has a white tail with a horizontal black band, white neck and wing bars, wing edges are white-tipped. Eye colour: males: red, with black skin; females: white eyes with red skin around the eyes. The yellow beak is topped by a casque. The male has a flat casque forked in front and edged with black; the female’s casque is smaller with no black. The white plumage on the head, neck, wing coverts and tail base are often stained yellow with oil from the preen gland. It flies with heavy wing beats, a few flaps and a long glide. The most prominent feature of the hornbill is the bright yellow and black casque on top of its massive bill. The casque appears U-shaped when viewed from the front, and the top is concave, with two ridges along the sides that form points in the front, whence the Latin species epithet bicornis (two-horned). The back of the casque is […]
