Essay on The Hornbill
The hornbills are a family of birds that are found in Africa and Asia. They have a long and down-curved beak. They are bright in color. They have thin necks, broad wings, and long tails. They are the only birds in which the first two neck bones are joined together.
They usually travel in pairs or small family groups. Some hornbills are limited to a fixed territory. This depends on the diet found in that territory. Certain species of hornbills are Red-billed hornbill, Indian grey hornbill, Helmeted hornbill, Southern ground hornbills, etc.
Some species are omnivorous as they feed on fruit as well as meat. Fruits are a large part of the diet for the forest hornbills. They cannot swallow food caught at the tip of the beak, as their tongues are too short to control it. Therefore, they throw their food back to the throat with a jerk of the head. Species that depend on for their feeding on fruit are usually found in forests. Some species of hornbills also eat flesh. They eat insects like grasshoppers as well as small animals. Forest-dwelling species of hornbills are considered important seed scatters.
Hornbills show large differences in size. They range from 40 to 160 centimeters. Males are always bigger than females. Female hornbills feed on figs. They lay up to six white eggs. They lay eggs in holes or gaps, either in trees or in rocks. After the eggs are hatched, they break their eggs and the young ones appear from them.
The plumage covering the body is normally black, grey, white, or brown. They are often similar to bright colors on the bill or patches of colored skin on the face or a part of skin down the throat. Their eyes are protected by large eyelashes. These eyelashes act as a sunshade.
The heavy bill of the hornbill is supported by strong neck muscles. The large bill helps in fighting, cleaning the plumage, constructing the nest, and catching prey. Unlike most birds, hornbills have binocular vision. This allows them to see their own bill tip and helps in carefully handling their food with their bill.
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