Great Pied Hornbill - Male

[Sabyasachi Patra]

Great Pied Hornbill - Buceros bicornis, Male.

Description from Birds of South Asia, The Ripley Guide by Pamela C. Rasmussen and John C. Anderton

An immense pied hornbill with a very large yellow bill and double-ridged casque; black face, throat, mantle and lower breast contrast with buffy nape and neck, white belly and vent. Male has red iris, slaty orbital skin, and black at rear and front of casque; female has pink orbital skin, white iris, and red on rear of otherwise plain casque. Juvenile is duller, with low casque, less distinct dark bill markings, and pale fleshy orbital skin. In flight, note the black wings with a broad white band through coverts and band on trailing edge, and white tail with broad black central band. Preen oil stains white plumage buffy-yellow to varying degree.

Occurs: Resident in Himalayaas of Uttaranchal to Arunachal, lower parts of S Assam hills (including Meghalaya and south to Lushai Hills), NE and SE Bangladesh (rare); disjunctly in W Ghats south of bombay; plains upto 1500m in W Ghats, 2200 m in Himalayas. Local in evergreen and moist deciduous forest.

Habits: Usually in pairs in canopy, rarely descending to ground. Often flies high and far, with 3-4 deep flaps followed by long glide.

Both sexes seal female in nest; female emerges during chick rearing, and chick then re-seals cavity. Feeds on fruits, nestlings and reptiles.

Canon EOS 1D Mark IV, Canon EF 400mm F2.8 L IS USM, EF 2xII, f5.6, 1/250, ISO 5000, full frame image.

I was filming this fellow from the other side of the bank when it flew and perched close. The light was too low and I halted the filming to click a few shots to share with you folks here.

Cheers,
Sabyasachi