Fun Indian Grey Hornbill Facts For Kids

Are you a bird lover and in search of a magnificent bird, like the tawny eagle and red kite? We have a perfect bird for you, the Indian grey hornbill (Ocyceros birostris).

These birds are predominantly found in the Indian subcontinent. These are arboreal birds and spend the majority of their lives in tall trees.

The range of these birds can be found in the forests, woodlands, and urban areas of India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and other neighboring countries. These birds are known to travel in pairs during the nesting season.

These birds of the Bucerotidae family are very common and can be easily spotted feeding on insects under fig trees which are a staple part of their diet. The female birds are known to seal the entrance of the nest with mud pellets and food.

The bill of these birds comes in handy during nesting and fighting. These birds are primarily grey in color, and their entire body is covered with gray feathers of different shades.

The skin around the eyes is different for both adults and juveniles, thereby making them easily identifiable.

The adults have red iris, while juveniles have orange eyes. Males are bigger in size and have a larger casque.

The Indian grey hornbill bill is usually in a darker shade of yellow while the horn is black. These birds also have long tails with pale edges, which helps in a steady flight from one fig tree to another.

During the flight, calls are very common for these light gray or dull-colored birds. If you want to more about their tail or what they feed on, scroll down to read more.

If you find our article interesting, then do check out Australian pelican facts and swallow-tailed kite facts.

Indian Grey Hornbill Interesting Facts

What type of animal is an Indian grey hornbill?

The Indian grey hornbill (Ocyceros birostris) is a type of bird that belongs to the Bucerotidae family.

What class of animal does an Indian grey hornbill belong to?

Just like all hornbills, the Indian grey hornbill (Ocyceros birostris) belongs to the class of Aves of the Animalia Kingdom.

How many Indian grey hornbills are there in the world?

The exact number of Indian grey hornbills in the world as per the International Union for Conservation of Nature or the IUCN Red List is not quantified as of today.

However, the population of this species is not currently under any harm as they have been classified as a hornbill species of Least Concern. The population trend has been relatively stable over the recent years, thereby making these a fairly stable species.

However, human activities like habitat loss, climate change, and pollution have played a vital role in destroying these birds.

Where does an Indian grey hornbill live?

As depicted in its name, the Indian grey hornbill (Ocyceros birostris) is predominantly found in India. Apart from India, these birds are also found in Nepal, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. These birds tend to prefer a higher altitude, and thus the Indian grey hornbill range is almost around 2000 ft or 610 m above sea level.

What is an Indian grey hornbill's habitat?

Indian grey hornbill habitat is mainly woodlands, forests with fig trees, and rural agricultural lands in the Indian subcontinent. These birds are mainly spotted along the Ganges delta and in the foothills of the Himalayas.

In the North-Western areas, these birds are spotted along with the Indus river system. The Indian grey hornbill is also known to venture towns, cities, and other urban where old avenue deciduous trees are abundant.

Who do Indian grey hornbills live with?

Not much is known about the social lifestyle of the Indian grey hornbill (Ocyceros birostris), owing to limited data and research. However, these birds are often seen in pairs. It is also assumed that these birds form small flocks when it is not the breeding season and live together.

How long does an Indian grey hornbill live?

Due to very little information and research that has been conducted on this hornbill species, the exact lifespan of these birds is currently unknown. However, we can make an assumption based on the lifespan of hornbills in general.

Hornbills, in general, live for almost 30-35 years, but it is estimated the lifespan of these birds is less than the normal expected rate.

How do they reproduce?

The breeding season, as well as the nesting season, is assumed to take place during February to June. Often the breeding pair is helped by additional male helping birds.

The nests are usually built on trees where the female bird seals off the entrance of the nest with food, mud pellets, and their own droppings. 2-5 eggs are laid, and the female bird incubates these eggs for around 21 days. The small chicks are known to fledge from the nests at around a span of 45 days.

What is their conservation status?

 The International Union for Conservation of Nature or the IUCN Red List has placed these bird species under the Least Concern category. The population trend of these birds has been relatively stable over the year, indicating no imminent harm to these beautiful hornbill species.

However, human activities in the form of habitat destruction, climate change, and pollution posses a strong challenge for these birds, and thus, proper protection and conservation methods should be implemented at the very earliest.

Indian Grey Hornbill Fun Facts

What do Indian grey hornbills look like?

The Indian grey hornbill appearance can be best described as a light gray or pale-colored bird with plumes on its body, while the horn is black or dark gray. The flight feathers are brown, while the ear coverts are of a darker shade.

A larger casque is found in males in comparison with females.

The adult birds are known to have red iris with the skin around being grey, while the young birds, on the other hand, have orange eyes, and the skin around is red. They have long tail feathers, and the wing and the tail edges are pale in color.

How cute are they?

These birds are extremely cute, and all nature and bird lovers and ornithologists are bound to find these birds to be extremely adorable. Their flight feathers have pretty cool coloration as well.

How do they communicate?

These bird species are known to produce a variety of sounds mostly. These birds often make high-pitched calls and squeals in quick succession as probable calls and warnings to fellow birds against predators.

How big is an Indian grey hornbill?

These birds have a length of 20 in (50.8 cm). In comparison with pine warbler 5 in (12.7 cm), we can say that the former is almost four times larger.

How fast can an Indian grey hornbill fly?

The exact speed at which the Indian grey hornbill (Ocyceros birostris) mostly flies is unknown. However, we can make an assumption of it based on the flying speed of the hornbill, which is around 18 mph (29 kph).

How much does an Indian grey hornbill weigh?

These birds weigh 0.8 lb (375 g).

What are the male and female names of the species?

Just like any other bird in this world, the Indian grey hornbill male is known as a cock, while their Indian grey hornbill female counterparts are known as a hen.

What would you call a baby Indian grey hornbill?

Baby birds are referred to as chicks; therefore, in the case of Indian grey hornbill (Ocyceros birostris), they will be known as chicks or, more accurately, as Indian grey hornbill chicks.

What do they eat?

These birds are omnivorous in nature; they feed on both plants, fruits, and animals. The diet of the Indian grey hornbill consists of fruits along with small insects, mice, and lizards.

These birds are always active in search of food and climb tall trees to feed. These birds can also be seen under fig trees feeding on insects which are a significant part of their diet. These hornbill species consume several fruits.

Are they poisonous?

No, these birds are non-poisonous, and thus they pose no harm to humans or other plants and animals that reside in the same habitat.

Would they make a good pet?

Not much is known as to whether these birds can be kept as pets or not. As some species of hornbills are known to make great pets, it can also be assumed that these bird species are likely to follow the trend.

However, these, in general, are birds that are found in wild habitats like forests, and thus they should be kept free rather than being locked up in cages.

Did you know...

These are arboreal birds, animals that live in trees and are rarely known to descend to the ground in search of food and shelter.

What is the specialty of hornbill?

The only thing which makes hornbills special and separates them from other birds is their beaks or bills. These birds are known to have a heavy bill that is surrounded by powerful muscles. These hugely powerful and heavy bill proves to be an important tool for nest building in trees and fighting.

Are Indian grey hornbills endangered?

The Indian grey hornbill is listed as a species of Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature or the IUCN Red List. The population has also been stable over the years, thereby making them a common bird in India.

However, human activities like habitat destruction by the cutting of trees where nesting is important are known to harm these birds.

These bird species are protected in many regions of India. The Forest Development department is responsible for holding awareness campaigns in many areas for the proper protection and conservation of the species.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other birds from our canyon wren facts and snowy plover facts for kids.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable bird coloring pages.

Main image by Hari K Patibanda

Second image by Sumeet Moghe from Pune, India