| Scientific Name: Buceros bicornis
Local name: Vakok, OutChin hnget
English name: Great Indian Hornbill
Great Indian Hornbills are regarded as national bird by Chin people. They have a long, heavy bills with a light, hollow casque on the upper mandible. The bill is yellow and curved downward. The body is covered with black feathers. The tail which is a white bans of black feathers across can reach up to 3 feet. The neck of Great Indian Hornbill is surrounded with circles of furs. They have short and short legs and broad feet. Their flight is often noisy as air rushes through the bases of the flight feathers which are not covered with stiff coverts. These hornbills are found on sea level up to 5000 feet above the ground. Their distribution ranges from India and Southeastern Asia to Sumatra.
This species of hornbill mainly rely on fruits as source of food. The Hornbills swallow their food whole instead of breaking it down first. They inhabit the canopy of tall tress and moist deciduous forests.
One of the distinct characteristics of this bird is the male and female are mated for life. This bird is loyal to their partners even to death. It has been told by local elders if either one of the male or female was killed, the remaining one also dies soon. The clutch size is about 2-4 white eggs. The incubation period is about 28-40 days and 4-8 weeks for the young hornbills to mature. During the maturation period, the mother remains with the offspring and the male takes care of the female and the offspring during the incubation period and maturation period. They return to the same nest-site year after year.
This bird can be considered as the pride of Chin Hills not only because they are beautiful but because of their loyalty to their partners and companionship to each others. But it is so sad that they are slowly disappearing in Chin Hills. They have been hunted for their meat and for medicinal purposes. The main cause of their extinction is deforestation, tall trees are cut down for commercial timber, for fire woods, and sadly to get the orchids which are primarily found in tall trees. It is no wonder that the next generation of Chin people will only be able to see their national bird at the Zoo.
In order to bring back these birds it will takes years and years of reforestations which I believe is one of the hardest thing to do in Chin Hills.
References:
W. E. S. -Great Indian Hornbill- http://library.thinkquest.org/19689/data/birds/
great_indian_hornbill_frame.html
Great Hornbill 98 Factsheet: www.nagonline.net/Fact%20Sheet%20pdf/AZA%20-
%20Greater%20Hornbill%20Species%20Survival%20Plan.pdf |
