With their long eyelashes, oversized beaks, and often a characteristic casque on top, the hornbills (family Bucerotidae) are among the most charismatic birds of Asia and Africa. Beyond their unmistakable appearance, they play critical ecological roles, particularly as seed dispersers in forest ecosystems, and hold cultural significance across many landscapes where they occur.
Globally, 62 living hornbill species are currently recognized, 32 of which occur in Asia. In North Bengal—part of the Eastern Himalaya—five species of hornbill inhabit a mosaic of protected areas, reserved forests, agricultural lands, tea gardens, cinchona plantations, and some human settlements. These species are:
- the Great Hornbill (Buceros bicornis)
- Indian Grey Hornbill (Ocyceros birostris)
- Oriental Pied Hornbill (Anthracoceros albirostris)
- Rufous-necked Hornbill (Aceros nipalensis)
- Wreathed Hornbill (Rhyticeros undulatus)
While these species are currently listed as either "Vulnerable" or "Least Concern" on the IUCN Red List, local populations face mounting pressures. Habitat loss, felling of mature nesting trees, hunting, and wildlife trade are among the primary threats driving declines in parts of their range.
Building on Years of Research
Prior to the conservation planning workshop in 2024, the Nature Mates-Nature Club (NMNC) and the Nature Conservation Foundation (NCF) had already been working to better understand hornbill ecology in North Bengal. Beginning in 2017, research efforts focused on collecting baseline ecological data, mapping habitats, identifying threats, and exploring conservation opportunities in collaboration with the West Bengal Forest Department and other key stakeholders.
Between 2017 and 2024, studies expanded across protected and non-protected areas alike, including human settlements where hornbills live. This body of work helped better understand their ecology and threats in North Bengal, but also the complex governance landscape. Jurisdiction and management differ across protected areas, reserved forest, plantations, and community lands, meaning that effective conservation would require coordinated action across multiple sectors and stakeholders.
With this in mind, the team sought to share their research findings more broadly and build regional support for hornbill conservation. This led to the development of a multi-stakeholder Conservation Action Plan.
The Conservation Planning Workshop
From February 21-23, 2024, a Conservation Action Planning workshop was held in North Bengal. The workshop was facilitated by Dr. Sanjay Molur and Mrs. Priyanka Iyer from the IUCN SSC CPSG South Asia and Zoo Outreach Organization.
Thirty-eight participants took part, primarily from North Bengal, with some representatives from Sikkim, Assam, and Bhutan. The group included government officials from the West Bengal Forest Department, researchers and scientists from 12 different NGOs, a representative from the tea garden association, nature guides, youth groups, and other civil society members. Over three days of structured discussions, participants worked collaboratively to identify priority issues, align on shared objectives, and develop a roadmap for hornbill conservation in the region.
Participants agreed on this shared vision:
By 2040, to establish a healthy, sustainable, and growing hornbill population in North Bengal and the adjoining transboundary landscape by promoting collaboration, habitat protection, connectivity and restoration, scientific and traditional knowledge exchange, sustainable management strategies, threat reduction with community ownership and stakeholder engagement.
The resulting workshop report is now available on our website. The plan outlines a long-term, 15-year strategy to protect and study hornbills in North Bengal, focusing on multi-stakeholder collaboration. The plan is organized into five key areas:
1. Species and habitat management
2. Research and data sharing
3. Community stewardship and ownership
4. Multi-stakeholder and transboundary coordination
5. Outreach and education
The report also includes a detailed description of each of these five species of hornbill and their threats, along with the conservation actions proposed to enhance their habitat quality, strengthen collaboration and coordination across jurisdictions, and reduce current threats. The overall aim is to foster a collective effort that ensures the long-term conservation of hornbills and their habitat in North Bengal and the adjoining transboundary landscape.
Hornbills are long-lived birds that depend on mature forests and large nesting trees. Their ecological role as seed dispersers makes them vital to forest regeneration and ecosystem health. Protecting hornbills contributes not only to species conservation but also to the resilience of landscapes across the Eastern Himalaya.
Read the report here.
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This workshop was organized by Nature Conservation Foundation, Nature Mates, Zoo Outreach Organisation, and the Directorate of Forest from the Government of West Bengal, with the support of Conservation Leadership Program, The Serenity Trust, and Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies.
IUCN SSC Specialist Groups involved: Hornbill Specialist Group and Conservation Planning Specialist Group
Workshop designed and facilitated by: Dr. Sanjay Molur and Mrs. Priyanka Iyer from the IUCN SSC CPSG South Asia and Zoo Outreach Organisation
