India GO
Great hornbill
The largest hornbill in India, with a huge yellow bill topped by a hollow casque.
How to recognise it
You hear it before you see it: the wingbeats sound like a train, audible hundreds of metres away. Watch the tall riverside trees above the falls in the first hours of light.
Protection
Schedule I, Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972
Where to see it
Kochi
It is the state bird of Kerala, and the Athirappilly-Vazhachal forest is the only place in South India where all four southern hornbills occur together. Nesting at Vazhachal starts in mid-December: the female seals herself into a tree hollow and the male feeds her through a slit for months, which is why specific old nest trees (Vateria indica, Palaquium ellipticum, Bombax ceiba and others) matter so much. The Kadar community here has protected this habitat for about two decades.
Athirappilly Falls (in season) · Thattekad (Salim Ali) Bird Sanctuary