The Indian gray hornbill (Ocyceros birostris) is a common hornbill[2] found on the Indian subcontinent. It is mostly arboreal and is commonly sighted in pairs. It has grey feathers all over the body with a light grey or dull white belly. The horn is black or dark grey with a casque extending to the point of curvature of the horn. It is one of the few hornbill species found in urban areas in many cities where they are able to make use of large trees in avenues.
Indian grey hornbill
A male bird feeding the female at a nest in Punjab, and a recording made in Maharashtra, both in India
The Indian grey hornbill is a medium-sized hornbill, measuring around 61 cm (24 in) in length.[3] The upper parts are greyish brown and there is a slight trace of a pale supercilium. The ear coverts are darker. The flight feathers of the wing are dark brown with a whitish tip. The tail has a white tip and a dark subterminal band. They have a red iris and the eyelids have eyelashes. The casque is short and pointed.[4]
The male has a larger casque on a dark bill, and the culmen and lower mandible are yellowish. The bare skin around the eye is dark in the male, but sometimes pale reddish in females.[5] The female has a more yellowish bill with black on the basal half and on the casque.[3][6][7] The juveniles lack the casque, and the bare skin around the eye is dull orange.[8]
Distribution
The species is found mainly on the plains up to about 2,000 ft (610 m). It is found from the foothills of the Himalayas southwards, bounded to the west by the Indus system and to the east by the Ganges Delta. It may make local movements in the drier western region. It is found even in cities that have old avenue trees.[6] The species has been observed, usually in pairs, in Dharamsala town (Himachal Pradesh) at about 1500 to 1600 masl during summer and in the rainy season (May to September, 2017). and does not overlap much with the Malabar grey hornbill of the Western Ghats.[4][9]
Behaviour and ecology
The call is a squealing call somewhat like that of a black kite. The flight is heavy and involves flapping interspersed with glides. They are found in pairs or small groups.[4]
The nesting season is April to June and the clutch varies from one to five very symmetrical white eggs. Indian grey hornbills usually nest in tree hollows on tall trees. An existing hollow may be excavated further to suit. The female enters the nest hollow and seals the nest hole, leaving only a small vertical slit through which the male feeds her. The nest entrance is sealed by the female using its excreta and mud-pellets supplied by the male.[10][11] While inside the nest, the female moults her flight feathers and incubates the eggs. The male provides the nest inmates with a steady supply of bark pieces to ensure that the excreta is removed from the nest by absorption and adsorption and to help maintain the micro-climate within the next cavity. [12] The regrowth of the female's feathers coincides with the maturity of the chicks, at which point the nest is broken open.[4][13][14]
A study at a nest near Mumbai noted that the key fruiting trees on which the hornbills fed were Streblus asper, Cansjera rheedii, Carissa carandas, Grewia tiliaefolia, Lannea coromandelica, Ficus spp., Sterculia urens and Securinega leucopyrus. They are also known to take molluscs, scorpions, insects, small birds (they have been recorded removing and possibly preying on rose-ringed parakeet chicks[15]) and reptiles in their diet[16] They are known to feed on the fruits of Thevetia peruviana, which are known to be toxic to many vertebrates.[17]
They are almost completely arboreal, but very rarely descend to the ground to pick up fallen fruits, to dust bathe,[18] or to pick up mud pellets to seal the nest cavity during the nesting period.[19] They indulge in various social activities, including bill-grappling and aerial jousting.[20]
Gallery
Individual with a shorter casque, either a juvenile or female
A pair (female right and male at left) at Mohali, Punjab, northern India
References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ocyceros birostris.
^BirdLife International (2020). "Ocyceros birostris". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T22682429A184951065. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T22682429A184951065.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
^NiF Team. Things to Know About Hornbills. Nature inFocus.
^ abAli, S.; S. D. Ripley (1983). Handbook of the Birds of India and Pakistan. Volume 4 (2nd ed.). New Delhi: Oxford University Press. pp. 130–131.
^ abcdWhistler, Hugh (1949). Popular handbook of Indian birds (4th ed.). Gurney and Jackson, London. pp. 306–307. ISBN1-4067-4576-6.
^Pittie, A. (2003). "A Note on the Circumorbital Skin Colour of Indian Grey Hornbill Ocyceros birostris". J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 100 (1): 141–142.
^ abRasmussen PC; JC Anderton (2005). Birds of South Asia: The Ripley Guide. Volume 2. Smithsonian Institution & Lynx Edicions. pp. 272–273.
^Baker, ECS. Fauna of British India. Birds. Volume 4 (2nd ed.). London: Taylor and Francis. pp. 301–302.
^Kasambe, R.; Charde, P.; Tarar, J. L. & Pimplapure. A. (2012). "Sub-orbital skin- and eye colour of young Indian Grey Hornbills Ocyceros birostris in Central India". Indian Birds. 7 (6): 165.
^Amladi, SR; Daniel, JC (1973). "Occurrence of the Common Grey Hornbill (Tockus birostris) in Bombay city". J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 70 (2): 378–380.
^Blanford, WT (1895). Fauna of British India. Birds Volume 3. Taylor and Francis, London. p. 141.
^Hall, Eleanor Frances (1918). "Notes on the nidification of the Common Grey Hornbill (Lophoceros birostris)". J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 25 (3): 503–505.
^ Charde, Praveen; Kasambe, Raju; Pimplapure, Anil; Tarar, Jeevan L (2011). "NEST SANITATION IN INDIAN GREY HORNBILL IN CENTRAL INDIA". The Raffles Bulletin of Zoology (24): 65–67.
^Finlay, JD (1929). "The nesting habits of the Northern Grey Hornbill Lophoceros birostris". J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 33 (2): 444–445.
^Hume, AO (1889). The nests and eggs of Indian bird volume 3. R H Porter, London. pp. 74–76.
^Newnham, A (1911). "Hornbills devouring young Paroquets". J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 21 (1): 263–264.
^Patil, Neelam; Chaturvedi, Naresh; Hegde, Vithoba (1997). "Food of Common Grey Hornbill Tockus birostris (Scopoli)". J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 94 (2): 408–411.
^Neelakantan, KK (1953). "Common Grey Hornbill (Tockus birostris) eating fruits of the Yellow Oleander (Thevetia neriifolia)". J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 51 (3): 738.
^Santharam, V (1990). "Common Grey Hornbill Tockus birostris (Scopoli) dust bathing". J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 87 (2): 300–301.
^Charde, P.; Kasambe, R. & Tarar, J.L. (2011). (PDF). The Raffles Bulletin of Zoology. 24: 59–64. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-03-21. Retrieved 2012-01-04.
^Kasambe, R.; Charde, P. & Yosef, R. (2011). "Aerial jousting and bill-grappling in Indian Grey Hornbill (Ocyceros birostris)". Acta Ethologica. 14 (1): 13–15. doi:10.1007/s10211-010-0085-2. S2CID 1691573.
April 09, 2023
indian, grey, hornbill, indian, gray, hornbill, ocyceros, birostris, common, hornbill, found, indian, subcontinent, mostly, arboreal, commonly, sighted, pairs, grey, feathers, over, body, with, light, grey, dull, white, belly, horn, black, dark, grey, with, ca. The Indian gray hornbill Ocyceros birostris is a common hornbill 2 found on the Indian subcontinent It is mostly arboreal and is commonly sighted in pairs It has grey feathers all over the body with a light grey or dull white belly The horn is black or dark grey with a casque extending to the point of curvature of the horn It is one of the few hornbill species found in urban areas in many cities where they are able to make use of large trees in avenues Indian grey hornbill source source A male bird feeding the female at a nest in Punjab and a recording made in Maharashtra both in IndiaConservation statusLeast Concern IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classificationKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass AvesOrder BucerotiformesFamily BucerotidaeGenus OcycerosSpecies O birostrisBinomial nameOcyceros birostris Scopoli 1786 SynonymsLophoceros birostrisTockus birostrisOcyceros ginginianusMeniceros birostris Contents 1 Description 2 Distribution 3 Behaviour and ecology 4 Gallery 5 ReferencesDescription EditThe Indian grey hornbill is a medium sized hornbill measuring around 61 cm 24 in in length 3 The upper parts are greyish brown and there is a slight trace of a pale supercilium The ear coverts are darker The flight feathers of the wing are dark brown with a whitish tip The tail has a white tip and a dark subterminal band They have a red iris and the eyelids have eyelashes The casque is short and pointed 4 The male has a larger casque on a dark bill and the culmen and lower mandible are yellowish The bare skin around the eye is dark in the male but sometimes pale reddish in females 5 The female has a more yellowish bill with black on the basal half and on the casque 3 6 7 The juveniles lack the casque and the bare skin around the eye is dull orange 8 Distribution EditThe species is found mainly on the plains up to about 2 000 ft 610 m It is found from the foothills of the Himalayas southwards bounded to the west by the Indus system and to the east by the Ganges Delta It may make local movements in the drier western region It is found even in cities that have old avenue trees 6 The species has been observed usually in pairs in Dharamsala town Himachal Pradesh at about 1500 to 1600 masl during summer and in the rainy season May to September 2017 and does not overlap much with the Malabar grey hornbill of the Western Ghats 4 9 Behaviour and ecology EditThe call is a squealing call somewhat like that of a black kite The flight is heavy and involves flapping interspersed with glides They are found in pairs or small groups 4 The nesting season is April to June and the clutch varies from one to five very symmetrical white eggs Indian grey hornbills usually nest in tree hollows on tall trees An existing hollow may be excavated further to suit The female enters the nest hollow and seals the nest hole leaving only a small vertical slit through which the male feeds her The nest entrance is sealed by the female using its excreta and mud pellets supplied by the male 10 11 While inside the nest the female moults her flight feathers and incubates the eggs The male provides the nest inmates with a steady supply of bark pieces to ensure that the excreta is removed from the nest by absorption and adsorption and to help maintain the micro climate within the next cavity 12 The regrowth of the female s feathers coincides with the maturity of the chicks at which point the nest is broken open 4 13 14 A study at a nest near Mumbai noted that the key fruiting trees on which the hornbills fed were Streblus asper Cansjera rheedii Carissa carandas Grewia tiliaefolia Lannea coromandelica Ficus spp Sterculia urens and Securinega leucopyrus They are also known to take molluscs scorpions insects small birds they have been recorded removing and possibly preying on rose ringed parakeet chicks 15 and reptiles in their diet 16 They are known to feed on the fruits of Thevetia peruviana which are known to be toxic to many vertebrates 17 They are almost completely arboreal but very rarely descend to the ground to pick up fallen fruits to dust bathe 18 or to pick up mud pellets to seal the nest cavity during the nesting period 19 They indulge in various social activities including bill grappling and aerial jousting 20 Gallery Edit Individual with a shorter casque either a juvenile or female At Uttarakhand India In Janakpur Nepal A pair female right and male at left at Mohali Punjab northern IndiaReferences Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ocyceros birostris BirdLife International 2020 Ocyceros birostris IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020 e T22682429A184951065 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2020 3 RLTS T22682429A184951065 en Retrieved 12 November 2021 NiF Team Things to Know About Hornbills Nature inFocus a b Ali S S D Ripley 1983 Handbook of the Birds of India and Pakistan Volume 4 2nd ed New Delhi Oxford University Press pp 130 131 a b c d Whistler Hugh 1949 Popular handbook of Indian birds 4th ed Gurney and Jackson London pp 306 307 ISBN 1 4067 4576 6 Pittie A 2003 A Note on the Circumorbital Skin Colour of Indian Grey Hornbill Ocyceros birostris J Bombay Nat Hist Soc 100 1 141 142 a b Rasmussen PC JC Anderton 2005 Birds of South Asia The Ripley Guide Volume 2 Smithsonian Institution amp Lynx Edicions pp 272 273 Baker ECS Fauna of British India Birds Volume 4 2nd ed London Taylor and Francis pp 301 302 Kasambe R Charde P Tarar J L amp Pimplapure A 2012 Sub orbital skin and eye colour of young Indian Grey Hornbills Ocyceros birostris in Central India Indian Birds 7 6 165 Amladi SR Daniel JC 1973 Occurrence of the Common Grey Hornbill Tockus birostris in Bombay city J Bombay Nat Hist Soc 70 2 378 380 Blanford WT 1895 Fauna of British India Birds Volume 3 Taylor and Francis London p 141 Hall Eleanor Frances 1918 Notes on the nidification of the Common Grey Hornbill Lophoceros birostris J Bombay Nat Hist Soc 25 3 503 505 Charde Praveen Kasambe Raju Pimplapure Anil Tarar Jeevan L 2011 NEST SANITATION IN INDIAN GREY HORNBILL IN CENTRAL INDIA The Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 24 65 67 Finlay JD 1929 The nesting habits of the Northern Grey Hornbill Lophoceros birostris J Bombay Nat Hist Soc 33 2 444 445 Hume AO 1889 The nests and eggs of Indian bird volume 3 R H Porter London pp 74 76 Newnham A 1911 Hornbills devouring young Paroquets J Bombay Nat Hist Soc 21 1 263 264 Patil Neelam Chaturvedi Naresh Hegde Vithoba 1997 Food of Common Grey Hornbill Tockus birostris Scopoli J Bombay Nat Hist Soc 94 2 408 411 Neelakantan KK 1953 Common Grey Hornbill Tockus birostris eating fruits of the Yellow Oleander Thevetia neriifolia J Bombay Nat Hist Soc 51 3 738 Santharam V 1990 Common Grey Hornbill Tockus birostris Scopoli dust bathing J Bombay Nat Hist Soc 87 2 300 301 Charde P Kasambe R amp Tarar J L 2011 Breeding behaviour of Indian Grey Hornbill Ocyceros birostris in Central India PDF The Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 24 59 64 Archived from the original PDF on 2014 03 21 Retrieved 2012 01 04 Kasambe R Charde P amp Yosef R 2011 Aerial jousting and bill grappling in Indian Grey Hornbill Ocyceros birostris Acta Ethologica 14 1 13 15 doi 10 1007 s10211 010 0085 2 S2CID 1691573 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Indian grey hornbill amp oldid 1125936273, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
