Photo: Rajan Hatiskar / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Great Hornbill
Buceros bicornis
Great Hornbill (Buceros bicornis) — Hornbills & Hoopoes of South & Southeast Asia.
Found across 7 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Great Hornbill (Buceros bicornis) is a member of the Bucerotidae family found in South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 2.8 kg. The IUCN Red List lists it as Vulnerable.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Bucerotiformes
- Family Bucerotidae Hornbills
- Genus Buceros
- Species bicornis
Quick facts
- Weight
- 2.8 kg
- Diet
- Fruit-eaters
- Family
- Bucerotidae
- Order
- Bucerotiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Vulnerable
Critically Endangered
Vulnerable
Vulnerable
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Great Hornbill is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Great Hornbill is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Great Hornbill (Buceros bicornis) belongs to the Bucerotidae family of the order Bucerotiformes. It occurs naturally across South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR w India, Himalayas to Sumatra.
It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 2.8 kg, with a wing length of about 50.9 cm and a tail of around 42.1 cm.
It is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern. Vulnerable species face a high risk of extinction in the wild if pressures continue.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 3 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Great Hornbill?
The Great Hornbill is a very large bird that weighs around 2.8 kg.
Where does the Great Hornbill live?
The Great Hornbill is found across South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR w India, Himalayas to Sumatra, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Great Hornbill belong to?
The Great Hornbill (Buceros bicornis) belongs to the Bucerotidae family, in the order Bucerotiformes.
What does the Great Hornbill eat?
The Great Hornbill is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Does the Great Hornbill migrate?
The Great Hornbill is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Great Hornbill endangered?
It is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern Vulnerable species face a high risk of extinction in the wild if pressures continue.
What sound does the Great Hornbill make?
1 real field recording of the Great Hornbill — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Great Hornbill's range?
The Great Hornbill has a mapped global range of about 3 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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