Indian Grey Hornbill

The Indian grey hornbill is a common, medium-sized hornbill, about 61 cm long, with grey feathers over the whole body and a light grey or dull white belly. The horn is black or dark grey with a casque extending to the point of curvature of the bill. The upperparts are greyish brown with a slight trace of a pale eyebrow, the flight feathers dark brown with whitish tips, and the tail has a white tip and a dark subterminal band. It is mostly arboreal and commonly seen in pairs or small groups (Wikipedia, general species account).

It is found from the foothills of the Himalaya southwards, bounded by the Indus system in the west and the Ganges delta in the east, mainly on the plains up to about 610 m. The call is a squealing note somewhat like a black kite's. It nests in tree hollows on tall trees: the female enters the hollow and seals the entrance with excreta and mud pellets brought by the male, leaving a small vertical slit through which he feeds her, and inside she moults her flight feathers and incubates. The nesting season is April to June, with one to five white eggs (Wikipedia, general species account).