Today’s Bird of the Day series focuses on the Wreathed Hornbill (Rhyticeros undulatus) or also knows as the Bar-pouched Wreathed Hornbill. A Juvenile Wreathed Hornbill picture was sent to us by Indian wildlife photographer and bird enthusiast Tejesh Shah.
Tejesh took this picture of the Juvenile Wreathed Hornbill at Nameri Tiger Reserve in Assam (India) - Tejesh explains his experience as -
”I was walking back after a day long hike with a tripod and the 600 mm lens, tired and famished when I suddenly spotted something that flew over and sat on a low branch. I was ecstatic and all my fatique and muscle ache melted. I started to photograph the bird and he was posing just for me turning his neck left and right. I was thankful to him for being so close to me and this bird remains etched in me throughout”.
This bird species has a dark bar on its lower throat (thats where the name originates being Bar-pouched). Yellow bars being males and blue bar colours are of females. This Juvenile male will grow to be 75 -100 com (30-40 in) long. A mature male that ranges between 1.8 kg (4lbs) to 3.65 kg (8lbs) whereas mature females weigh from 1.36 kg (3lbs) to 2.7 kg (6lbs). This species of hornbill is found in forests of north eastern India and Bhutan, east and south through mainland south-east Asia.
The Wreathed Hornbill species IUCN conservation status is Least Concern.
Watch a Juvenile Wreathed Hornbill in captivity (Atlanta Zoo) being fed by his mother.
