The Hornbill Family - Types of Hornbills found in India

A guide to hornbills and where to find in India

Hornbills are among the most fascinating and striking birds of the tropics and subtropics. They are found across Africa, Asia, and Melanesia. Of the approximately 62 hornbill species found worldwide, nine can be seen in India. Some species are widespread, while others are restricted to small regions or islands.

Hornbills are easily recognised by their long, curved bills topped with a distinctive casque. While a few species have subdued colors, most are known for their vibrant plumage. In India, hornbills range in size from the smaller Indian Grey Hornbill to the majestic Great Hornbill, the largest of them all. Though primarily frugivorous, they also consume small mammals, reptiles, and birds. The richest hornbill diversity in India is found in the Western Ghats and the northeastern states.

1. Great Hornbill (Buceros bicornis)

The Great Hornbill, also known as the Great Pied Hornbill, primarily inhabits tropical evergreen forests. These magnificent birds are usually seen alone or in small groups, depending on their surroundings. Their deep, resonant calls and the loud flapping of their wings add to their captivating presence in the forest.

Entirely arboreal, Great Hornbills nest in large tropical trees, demonstrating remarkable adaptability to their environment. They have a lifespan of 30 to 50 years, can weigh up to 4 kilograms, and boast an impressive wingspan of about 152 centimeters, which helps them glide effortlessly through dense forest canopies.

They are typically found in primary evergreen and moist deciduous forests, especially in hilly terrains between 600 and 1,000 meters in elevation, though they may venture up to 2,000 meters in the Himalayan foothills. Hornbills forage in the upper canopy, often in pairs or family groups. Although largely sedentary, they travel seasonally in search of food, often gathering around fruiting trees or communal roosts at dusk. Occasionally, they descend to the ground to feed on fallen fruits and are known to fly over open spaces with powerful, whooshing wingbeats.

2. Malabar Pied Hornbill (Anthracoceros coronatus)

This medium-sized hornbill, primarily black and white in coloration, is characterized by a strikingly large, yellowish bill topped with a prominent casque. In males, the bill is mostly creamy white with a black base, and the massive casque displays a mix of ivory, yellow, and black, extending conspicuously at the front. The male also features a red eye surrounded by bare black skin. This species can be distinguished from the Oriental Pied Hornbill by its larger size, more robust head, and bulkier casque, though the two may share overlapping habitats.

The female, while similar in appearance, has a smaller bill and casque compared to the male—still larger than those of the Oriental Pied Hornbill. The bare skin around her eye is pale blue, turning pink during the breeding season. Juveniles, in contrast, have smaller, plain dull-yellow bills without a casque.

This hornbill species typically inhabits the edges of rainforests and deciduous woodlands and may occasionally be seen in more open spaces or around isolated fruiting trees up to an elevation of 300 meters. Its diet is largely frugivorous, with a preference for certain fig species and Putranjiva (family Euphorbiaceae) during the breeding season. It also feeds on leaves and opportunistically hunts small animals such as insects and lizards. While feeding mainly in the tree canopy, the bird sometimes descends to the ground to forage for fallen fruit or prey.

Although mostly sedentary, the species engages in local movements in pursuit of food. Small flocks may form at abundant fruiting trees or communal roosts, with gatherings of up to 58 individuals recorded at a single site.

3. Oriental Pied Hornbill (Anthracoceros albirostris)

This hornbill species is of medium size, characterized by a predominantly black plumage with white underparts. When in flight, the outer tail tips and trailing wing edges display distinct white markings. In terms of sexual dimorphism, the male hornbill features a sizable creamy-colored bill with a substantial black base on the lower mandible. Its casque is notably large and cylindrical, projecting forward with a compressed anterior part that is marked black.

Conversely, the female of this species possesses a smaller bill and casque, both marked with black, and lacks the anterior blade observed in males. A distinctive feature of the female is a dark red spot on the lower mandible. In both sexes, the area around the eyes and on the throat is characterized by pale blue bare skin.

During the juvenile stage, this hornbill exhibits a less glossy black plumage. The bill is smaller and pale, lacking the developed casque seen in mature individuals, highlighting the characteristic differences as they age and mature.

Except for the Indian Grey Hornbill, this Asian hornbill species does not rely on primary forests for habitat, including breeding. It is found in closed deciduous or evergreen forests but prefers forest edges, open woodlands, coastal and riverine scrub, and cultivated areas. Its habitat ranges from coastal lowlands to elevations of up to 700 meters inland. Particularly in Southeast Asia, it can be observed up close, often visiting feeding tables in beach resorts and villages near forested regions, where it feeds on fruits like papaya, rambutan, mango, and banana.

While its primary diet consists of fruits, it also consumes various animals, including insects, centipedes, millipedes, scorpions, spiders, snails, earthworms, lizards, small birds and their eggs, and occasionally rats, snails, crabs, and fish. It mainly forages in tree canopies but also descends to the ground to collect fallen fruits or prey. This hornbill uses its large bill with precision to grab, tear, and swallow small food items. It typically moves in pairs or family groups, displaying sedentary and territorial behavior.

4. Indian Grey Hornbill (Ocyceros birostris)

This hornbill species is relatively small and sports a brownish-grey plumage. It closely resembles the Malabar Grey Hornbill, especially in western regions where their ranges overlap. A key distinguishing feature is its black bill, which lacks the yellow color and casque seen on the Malabar Grey Hornbill. Additionally, it has a long, graduated tail with a black base that fades into a white tip.

Where it shares habitat with the Malabar Pied Hornbill, this species is set apart by its smaller size and absence of the pied plumage characteristic of the latter. The Malabar Pied Hornbill is larger and has a prominent white casque marked with a black patch. Among this species, males have a narrow black casque with a pointed front and red-brown eyes surrounded by black skin around the eyes. Females are smaller, with a less noticeable casque and dark brown eyes framed by dull red orbital skin.

Known for being vocal and noisy, especially in the early morning, its calls include a mix of loud cackles and squeals, occasionally broken by short piping notes.

This hornbill is typically found in deciduous forests, open woodlands, thorn forests, cultivated rural areas, and even urban gardens, particularly where fig trees are plentiful. It mostly inhabits lowland plains up to 600 meters elevation but can be found as high as 1,400 meters in the Himalayan foothills. In areas where it overlaps with the Malabar Grey Hornbill, it tends to prefer lower, more open habitats.

Its diet mainly consists of fruits—especially figs—and sometimes flowers. It also supplements its food intake with animal prey such as insects, small reptiles, rodents, and bird nestlings.

5. Malabar Grey Hornbill (Ocyceros griseus)

This small grey hornbill has a rufous vent and is distinguished from the similar Indian Grey Hornbill by its yellow bill, rather than black. In areas where both species coexist, this hornbill prefers higher terrain with dense tree cover. It also shares some range with the larger Malabar Pied Hornbill. Males have long, curved yellow-orange bills with a low casque, while females are smaller with dark-spotted casques and black lower mandibles. Both sexes show a white supercilium stripe above the eyes and whitish streaks on the head, crest, throat, and upper breast. Juveniles look like adult females but have smaller, paler bills and no casque.

This hornbill mainly lives in evergreen and deciduous forests, especially riverine areas and hills above 500 meters elevation. It sometimes visits nearby cultivated lands and villages in search of food. Its diet mostly consists of fruits and berries, with some insects, reptiles, and rodents. The species tends to stay in one area but may move locally within deciduous forests. Groups of up to 20 birds gather at good feeding spots, flying with a distinctive pattern of strong flapping, gliding, and hopping among branches and large fruiting trees.

6. Narcondam Hornbill (Rhyticeros narcondami)

This hornbill resembles a smaller version of the Papuan Hornbill in both shape and color. Adult males have rufous heads, females have completely black heads and necks, and juveniles of both sexes look like adult males. It is the only hornbill species found in its range.

It mainly inhabits evergreen and deciduous forests, living in open mixed forests and dense bushes from the coastline up to the island’s highest point at 700 meters elevation. Its range covers most of the island except grassy slopes in the south and southeast. This species is sedentary and mostly feeds in fruiting trees, with 33 identified plant species as food sources, including figs. During breeding season, however, 73% of its diet consists of non-fig plants. It also eats small animals like geckos, skinks, spiders, mantids, land crabs, and snakes. Feeding groups of up to 50 birds have been seen.

Adults usually roost in pairs below 255 meters above sea level, while immature birds roost in groups of 3 to 7 on branches at higher elevations, though their roosting spots change frequently.

7. Wreathed Hornbill (Rhyticeros undulatus)

This distinctive hornbill species differs from the Plain-pouched Hornbill with males sporting a brown cap and ivory-white nape instead of bright yellow, a bill with a low casque and ridges, and a black band across the yellow pouch. Females have brown ridges on a white bill and a black band across the blue pouch. Juveniles look like adult males but without the casque.

Their call includes short grunts for contact and loud roars that can be heard up to 1 km away, though these are quieter in wet weather. They live in primary rainforests up to 2,560 meters elevation and mainly eat forest fruits, including figs. Animal prey is rare except during breeding, when they consume eggs, reptiles, insects, and crabs. Mostly found in the canopy, they sometimes come down to collect fallen fruit or prey.

While mostly sedentary, they move around in search of food, especially during fruiting seasons. Breeding pairs have a home range of about 10 km², which expands to 28 km² outside the breeding season. They gather in large communal roosts of up to 1,000 birds.

8. Rufous Necked Hornbill (Aceros nipalensis)

This hornbill species is striking with its glossy black wings featuring white trailing edges, a black mantle, and the upper half of its tail also black, while the lower half is white. Males display a rufous head, neck, and underparts, paired with a pale ivory bill marked by black grooves on the upper mandible. Their turquoise-blue skin around the eyes connects to cobalt-blue cheeks, and they have a bright scarlet pouch lined with a dark blue stripe, making them easy to identify. Females are completely black but show blue bare skin around the eyes, a red pouch, and thick black stripes on the upper mandible, without any visible casque. Juveniles look like males but are paler with smaller bills lacking grooves, with the number of grooves indicating their age.

The hornbill’s call is a soft yet powerful series of descending coos, reminiscent of cuckoos or pigeons.

It lives in primary evergreen and deciduous forests, favoring remote ridges and hills between 600 and 1,800 meters elevation. It often forages near watercourses in hill forests. Its diet is mainly fruit, supplemented by 25 types of animal prey such as crabs, snakes, cicadas, and frogs. Though mostly feeding in the canopy, it sometimes comes to the ground, especially near streams. Likely sedentary and territorial, it usually moves in pairs or small family groups of four to five birds, occasionally forming larger groups of up to 15.

9. Austen’s Brown Hornbill (Anorrhinus austeni)

This medium-sized hornbill has dark brown plumage with rufous underparts, wings, and a white-tipped tail. Males show whitish cheeks and throat, along with a creamy bill and casque. Females have darker brown underparts, dark cheeks and throat, an ivory-white bill, and a smaller casque. Juveniles resemble males but have paler brown-tipped feathers, a short yellow bill, and orange skin around the eyes, moulting into adult plumage by about one year old.

Their call, similar to the Bushy-crested Hornbill but softer, includes loud repeated screams, croaks, and chuckles.

These hornbills live in closed evergreen and deciduous forests from lowlands up to lower montane zones with pines and oaks, mostly in lower hills. In India, they are found up to 1,000 meters elevation. They form social groups of 2 to 15 birds, sometimes up to 50. They move through the forest at canopy level, feeding mainly on fruits but also on animal prey like arthropods, snails, earthworms, and vertebrates such as bats, snakes, lizards, and bird eggs or chicks. They are sedentary and territorial, with breeding home ranges averaging 4.3–5.9 km². Immature birds may disperse, but adults show no major movements. In the non-breeding season, roosts of up to 80 birds have been recorded.

The Hornbill Family - Types of Hornbills found in India

A guide to hornbills and where to find in India

1. Great Hornbill (Buceros bicornis)

2. Malabar Pied Hornbill (Anthracoceros coronatus)

3. Oriental Pied Hornbill (Anthracoceros albirostris)

4. Indian Grey Hornbill (Ocyceros birostris)

5. Malabar Grey Hornbill (Ocyceros griseus)

6. Narcondam Hornbill (Rhyticeros narcondami)

7. Wreathed Hornbill (Rhyticeros undulatus)

8. Rufous Necked Hornbill (Aceros nipalensis)

9. Austen’s Brown Hornbill (Anorrhinus austeni)

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