Great hornbills, One of India's Most Epic Birds!

India’s great hornbills are one of the most striking and iconic birds in Asia. Their massive bill and prominent casque — a hollow, helmet-like structure on top of their bill along with their impressive size, 95–120 cm (3–4 ft) from head to tail and a wingspan of 150 cm (5 ft) make great hornbills one of the more awe-inspiring birds.
Great hornbills are not only incredibly stunning but also play an essential role as seed dispersers and indicators of healthy forests. They feed primarily on fruits, especially figs as can be seen here, but also small animals like lizards, snakes and insects.
Their unique breeding behavior confines them to healthy old growth forests where they nest inside tree cavities, the female confining herself for two to four months by sealing the opening with mud, fruit pulp, and droppings leaving only a small slit the male uses to bring her and her chicks food. Their size dictates a large nesting cavity limiting them to large trees such as the fig seen here. It’s not easy to see here but their nest cavity opening is on the left side of the fig tree below where the male feeds the female.
Their striking black and white coloration with yellow highlights along with their large bill and impressive size combine to make them a most memorable bird.