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Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Wayanad

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Subject: Wildlife Management × Author: AHIRBUDHNYAN. M × Start date: 2020 ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    NESTING PREFERENCE AND NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS OF FOOD ITEMS OF MALABAR GREY HORNBILL IN WAYANAD, KERALA
    (COLLEGE OF VETERINARY AND ANIMAL SCIENCES POOKODE, WAYANAD, 2022-02-25) AHIRBUDHNYAN. M; George Chandy
    Malabar Grey Hornbills are mostly found in open tall evergreen forests, near forest roads, edges and to the interiors. The Malabar Grey Hornbill (Ocyceros griseus) shows sexual dimorphism: the male is larger with a bigger bill compared to the female which has a smaller bill. The bright orange bill and the golden-brown eyes of the male hornbill are distinctive from the female which possess pale coloured bill and dark brown eyes. This monogamous species exhibits high nest fidelity i.e., nesting in the same cavity every year continuously. They also exhibit biparental caring. Female Malabar Grey Hornbills seal themselves inside the nest cavity for nesting and incubation of the eggs for three months. Malabar Grey Hornbills choose trees with specific heights and GBH for nesting. During the nesting period, they feed various nutrient-rich fruits to the nest inmates. The present study was carried out to study the nest tree preference of Malabar Grey Hornbills in Wayanad. And to look into the nutritional aspects of the fruits delivered to the nest inmates by the male hornbill. The study was conducted in both Moist deciduous habitats and plantations in Wayanad. Most of the study areas were in Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary and South Wayanad division. The nest trees of Malabar Grey Hornbills were found along forest trails and buffer areas in Wayanad. Twelve tree species were selected by the Malabar Grey Hornbills and our study found 27 nests. The average nest height (23.7m) and average GBH (232.6cm) of the nest trees were analysed and found that Malabar Grey Hornbills prefer nest trees of a specific height range. The nest tree analysis indicated the major nest trees of Malabar Grey Hornbills, are Lagerstomia microcarpa in moist deciduous parts of the forest and Grevillea robusta in plantations. Most of the nest trees were live trees other than one dead stump in the tree samples. The nest tree characters and habitat showed a dominant influence in the nesting preference of the Malabar Grey Hornbills. Most of the nests were oriented towards the eastward direction. Nutritional aspects of the fruits consumed by the hornbills during the nesting period were analysed and found that Malabar Grey Hornbills preferred fruits with higher levels of crude protein and inorganic matters.