Wreathed Hornbills in Pakke Tiger Reserve, Arunachal Pradesh

The wreathed hornbill is large and stately. It is named after the wreath-like ridges on its upper bill. Males have a distinct yellow throat patch while females have a blue throat patch. 

It was a chilly November night when I arrived at Pakke Tiger Reserve in Arunachal Pradesh, in India’s northeastern corner. As our vehicle moved steadily through the darkness, its headlights revealed scattered hamlets nestled among agricultural fields and the shadowy silhouettes of trees lining the roadside bunds. I was filled with anticipation, eager to witness the first light of dawn. Awake early the next morning, brimming with excitement, I stepped out of the field station, which was perched on a slope. As I took in the view — trees, distant houses, and the misty hills of Pakke on the horizon — a sudden, loud whooshing sound broke the morning stillness. A large flock of over 30 black birds with striking white tails flew overhead, their powerful wingbeats echoing through the air. They soared over the village of Seijosa, heading towards the towering canopy of Pakke forest. That moment remains etched in my memory — an unforgettable encounter and one of the most remarkable sightings of wreathed hornbills I have ever experienced.

The wreathed hornbill (Rhyticeros undulates) is one of nine species of hornbill occurring in India. It has a wide distribution from Bhutan to Bali and Borneo, and in India, it is found from north Bengal through the Northeast.

Wreathed hornbills prefer primary evergreen forests at low to mid-elevations. They also inhabit selectively logged forests adjoining the primary forests. The most fascinating aspect of the wreathed hornbills’ ecology is their altitudinal migration and movement across islands in search of fruiting trees. They congregate in large flocks and track resources over a wide area. In India, they are known for their cross-country movement from Myanmar to the forests in Namdapha National Park and its surroundings during the summer. Wreathed hornbills also fly between the islands of Java and Bali. Though they are smaller in size than the great hornbill, they track resources at a larger scale. Imagine hundreds of wreathed hornbills flying across the river in V-formations — what a sight!

The wreathed hornbill gets its name from the ridges (wreaths) on its casque — a horn or helmet-like structure atop its large, robust bill. Orange-brown ridges also mark the lower half of the beak. They are striking in appearance, with their large, glossy black bodies and short tails making them conspicuous. Wreathed hornbills are smaller in size than great hornbills and weigh about three kilos. Males and females are readily distinguishable by their colouration. The male has a reddish-brown crown and nape, with a creamy-white neck and upper breast. A bright yellow gular pouch with a distinctive black bar adds to its vivid appearance. In contrast, the female is entirely black and features a blue gular pouch, also marked with a dark bar. As with other hornbill species, wreathed hornbills have pinkish-red bare skin around their eyes. Juveniles resemble males in appearance but without casques.

Their unique breeding habit makes them even more interesting. Wreathed hornbill pairs are monogamous and mate for life. The pair looks out for a suitable cavity in a large tree in which to nest. After careful inspection, the female wreathed hornbill occupies the nest cavity. Most of their nests are seen on the Tetrameles nudiflora tree — a tall tree with fat buttresses and a straight trunk. The female nests in the cavity, lays eggs, cares for the hatchling. The female seals herself inside a tree cavity using mud, droppings, and fruit pulp, leaving only a narrow slit. Through this gap, the male feeds her and the chicks for several weeks — a testament to partnership and parental commitment. This strategy keeps the females and chicks safe from predators, but it also makes them heavily dependent on the availability of large, mature trees with suitable cavities. From nest cavity selection to the fledging of the chicks takes around 3-4 months. The breeding season is from late March to June-July.

The male wreathed hornbill fetches fruits and animal matter to feed its family in the sealed nest. Wreathed hornbills are primarily frugivores, meaning fruit makes up the bulk of their diet. Figs are a favourite. Wreathed Hornbills are known to feed on over 30 species of fruits, including a variety of fig species, wild nutmeg, and wild berries. They also feed on animals such as bird chicks, reptiles, rodents, and some invertebrates, especially during the nesting season. When there is a fruit-laden fig tree in the forest, one cannot miss the flock of hornbills along with other frugivores foraging. By flying across vast areas and pooping out and regurgitating seeds in different locations, hornbills play a key role as “farmers of the forest”, helping regenerate trees and maintain biodiversity.

Owing to their specialised ecological needs, wreathed hornbills require large trees and tall canopies for roosting, suitable tree cavities for nesting (which they use repeatedly over the years), and a diversity of fruit resources. Being a wide-ranging species, they need large and contiguous stretches of forest. Unfortunately, logging and forest fragmentation in their habitats, as well as anthropogenic activities such as hunting, are contributing to population decline. In recent years, poaching for the pet trade has also been on the rise. The IUCN categorises the wreathed hornbill as “Vulnerable” species on its Red List, with populations declining across its distribution range.

In the face of changes in habitats and climate, conserving such flagship species and their habitats is challenging. In Pakke Tiger Reserve, some conservation initiatives have proved successful in safeguarding the species with the help of stakeholders. To deter local communities from hunting them, an innovative approach of community-engaged conservation has worked well in Pakke. The indigenous Nyishi community members monitor and protect the nest trees during nesting season to secure the free flight of fledglings under the Hornbill Nest Adoption Programme. The programme is a blend of empowering local guardians of forests through crowd-sourced financial support from wildlife enthusiasts across the country. In the past decade this has resulted in hundreds of successful chicks fledging. The conservation efforts also aim at long-term monitoring, preserving, and restoring their habitats. Additionally, there have been focused attempts to foster pride and build an emotional connection with natural heritage among children around Pakke Tiger Reserve through nature education camps. This infuses a lot of hope for the persistence of wildlife such as wreathed hornbills in parts of Arunachal Pradesh.

The wreathed hornbill is more than just a beautiful bird. It is a symbol of the forest’s richness and a living reminder of how connected we are to the ecosystems around us. By protecting hornbills, we protect the forests — and ultimately, ourselves.