Sri Lanka Grey Hornbill
| Sri Lanka Grey Hornbill | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Matale , Sri Lanka | |
| Conservation status | |
 Least Concern (IUCN 3.1) | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Coraciiformes |
| Family: | Bucerotidae |
| Genus: | Ocyceros |
| Species: | O. gingalensis |
| Binomial name | |
| Ocyceros gingalensis Shaw, 1811 | |
The Sri Lanka Grey Hornbill (Ocyceros gingalensis) is a hornbill and a widespread and common endemic resident breeder in Sri Lanka. Hornbills are a family of tropical near-passerine birds found in the Old World.
The Sri Lanka Grey Hornbill is a gregarious bird found in forest habitats. It feeds mostly on figs, although occasionally it eats small rodents, reptiles and insects. The female lays up to four white eggs in a tree hole blocked off during incubation with a cement made of mud, droppings and fruit pulp. There is only one narrow aperture, barely wide enough for the male to transfer food to the mother and the chicks.
The Grey Hornbill is a large bird at 45cm in length. It has grey wings with black primary flight feathers, a grey back, and a brown crown. Its long tail is blackish with white sides, and the underparts are white. The long curved bill has no casque. Sexes are similar, although the male has a cream-coloured bill, whereas the female's is black with a cream stripe. Immature birds have dark grey upperparts, a cream bill, and a tail with a white tip. Its flight is slow and powerful.
In culture
In Sri Lanka, this bird is known as Alu Kadatta' in Sinhala Language.
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