Breeding of Indian Grey Hornbills in Gir

#GS-3 #Environment #Wildlife #Biodiversity #Conservation #Current Events #Gujarat

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The **Indian Grey Hornbill** has bred successfully for the **fourth consecutive year** in **Gir forests**, making a comeback **60 years** after disappearing from the region following its reintroduction in **2021**.
Forest officials moved **40 Indian Grey Hornbills** from **Gujarat's Aravalli forests**, releasing **28 birds** between **2021 and 2022** and another **12 birds** in **2023**.
Researchers fitted **satellite transmitters** on **11 male hornbills** to closely track their movements, home territory choices, and breeding habits.

This bird species lives across the Indian subcontinent and commonly inhabits natural forests, tree plantations, fruit orchards, and human-modified spaces.
The formal scientific name for the **Indian Grey Hornbill** is **Ocyceros birostris**.
It is the most common hornbill species in India, with a presence stretching from **Jammu** to **Kerala** and from **Rajasthan** to **West Bengal**.
Outside India, this species also lives in neighboring nations such as **Pakistan**, **Nepal**, and **Bangladesh**.
The bird prefers dry plains, hill bases, and open spaces, settling in deciduous woods, thorny bushes, city gardens, and areas with tall mature trees.
Habitat quality improved after authorities established the **Gir Wildlife Sanctuary** in **1965** and **Gir National Park** in **1975**, which made this reintroduction successful.
The **IUCN Red List** classifies the conservation status of this bird as **Least Concern**.
It features silver-grey body feathers, a long tail marked with a white stripe, and a curved light-ivory beak with a black base.
A narrow ridge called a casque sits on top of its beak, and this structure is larger in males than in females.
Adult hornbills have red eyes surrounded by grey skin, whereas young birds have brownish-orange eyes with reddish-orange skin around them.
By spreading seeds through its diet, the bird plays a critical role in growing new trees across forest zones, farming regions, and cities.