HORNBILL FESTIVAL

Environment & Ecology


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 06-Dec-2024

Why in the News? 

Nagaland’s iconic Hornbill Festival, known as the "Festival of Festivals", celebrates its 25th anniversary, showcasing the vibrant cultural heritage and unity of the state’s tribes. The grand event continues to draw global attention to Nagaland's traditions and artistry.

About Hornbill Festival  

  • It is celebrated from 1st to 10th December annually. 
  • It is hosted at Naga Heritage Village, Kisama, 12 km from Kohima, Nagaland. 
  • Purpose and Significance 
    • It is known as the "Festival of Festivals". 
    • It promotes inter-tribal interaction and showcases the cultural heritage of Nagaland. 
    • It aims to revive and preserve traditional Naga art, customs, and folklore. 
    • It is amed after the hornbill bird, a revered symbol in Naga folklore. 
  • Organizers 
    • It is managed by the State Tourism and Art & Culture Departments of Nagaland. 
    • It is supported by all 16 major tribes of Nagaland, ensuring collective representation. 
  • Key Features 
    • Cultural Performances: Traditional songs, dances, and ceremonies by various tribes. 
    • Art and Craft Displays: Paintings, wood carvings, sculptures, and local handicrafts. 
    • Food and Herbal Medicine Stalls: Authentic Naga cuisine and herbal remedies. 
    • Exhibitions: Traditional Naga Morungs and flower shows. 
    • Indigenous Games: Traditional archery, Naga wrestling, and other tribal sports. 
    • Modern Events: Fashion shows, beauty contests, and a popular music festival. 

About Hornbill Bird

  • Scientific Name: Buceros bicornis 
  • Conservation Status 
    • Red List Status: Vulnerable (VU) 
    • Criteria: A3cd+4cd (IUCN 2020) 
  • Distribution: Found in south-west India, southern Himalayas, southern China, and extends into Indochina, Peninsular Malaysia, and Sumatra. 
  • Physical Description 
    • Size: Male: 121–150 cm, Female: 112–125 cm. 
    • Weight: Male 2610–3900 g, Female 2157–3350 g. 
  • Appearance: 
    • Large hornbill with a black band across a white tail and black wings with white trailing edges. 
    • Yellow-stained white plumage on the head, neck, wing coverts, and tail, attributed to preen oil. 
    • Male: Red eyes with black rims, a large casque forked at the front with black edges. 
    • Female: White eyes with red rims that intensify during breeding; smaller casque without black lines. 
    • Juvenile: Blue-grey eyes; small, casqueless bill develops maturity over five years. 
  • Behavior and Habitat: 
    • Found in primary evergreen and moist deciduous forests. 
    • It prefers hilly regions, between 600–1,000 m elevation, but can range to 2,000 m in the Himalayan foothills. 
    • Generally sedentary but may roam for food, especially outside the breeding season. 
  • Diet and Feeding Habits: 
    • Primarily frugivorous, favoring figs and lipid-rich fruits such as those from Meliaceae, Lauraceae, and Myristicaceae families. 
    • It also consumes flowers, buds, and animals like small mammals, birds, reptiles, large insects, and other arthropods. 
    • Forages in large trees, often moving in pairs or family groups. 
    • Occasionally descends to the ground for fallen fruits. 
    • Unique feeding behavior includes hopping along branches, probing crevices, and tossing prey for a better grip before delivering it to the nest. 
  • Voice and Flight: 
    • Call: Loud, reverberating kok call, often heard as a duet over 800 meters in forests. 
    • Flight: Heavy wing beats with a whooshing sound, characterized by 3–4 flaps followed by a long glide. 
  • Ecological Role: Plays a vital role in seed dispersal, contributing to forest health and regeneration. 
  • Threats and Conservation: 
    •  Vulnerable due to habitat loss, deforestation, and hunting. 
    • Requires protection of primary forests and stricter anti-poaching measures to ensure survival.

Hornbill