ANATOMY OF BIRDS
GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION
MIGRATIONS OF BIRDS
CLASSIFICATION OF BIRDS
LIZARD-TAILED BIRD
AMERICAN TOOTHED-BIRDS
THE OSTRICHES
THE RHEAS
EMEUS AND CASSOWARIES
THE TINAMOUS
THE KIWIS
THE PENGUINS
LOONS AND GREBES
ALBATROSSES & PETRELS
STORK-LIKE BIRDS
GOOSE-LIKE BIRDS
FALCON-LIKE BIRDS
FOWL-LIKE BIRDS
CRANE-LIKE BIRDS
PLOVER-LIKE BIRDS
CUCKOO-LIKE BIRDS
THE ROLLER-LIKE BIRDS
SPARROW-LIKE BIRDS
Birds and Birding's Guide to:
Watching THE ROLLER-LIKE BIRDS
THE ROLLERS AND THEIR ALLIES
THE HORNBILLS
Wedge-tailed Hornbills
Whereas in the foregoing genera the tail is nearly or quite square at the end, in the remaining forms the central pair of feathers are much longer than the outer pairs, whence they are collectively known as the Wedge-tailed Hornbills.
Of these the Pied Hornbills (Anthracoceros), the five species of which are widely spread throughout the Oriental regions, have a very large, high, and sharp-edged casque, which projects in front and is broader and carried back above the crown behind.
TheMalabar Pied Hornbill (A. coronatus), as the name implies, is pied black and white, while the tail is black with the exception of the elongated central pair, which are white. They frequent especially the dry forests of the low country and have habits similar to those of all the large Hornbills.
As an example of those in which the casque is rudimentary or practically absent, mention may be made of the Rufous-necked Hornbill (Aceros nepalensis) of the eastern Himalayas. In this bird, the sole representative of its genus, there is no true casque, but the upper mandible is somewhat thickened at the base and is crossed at the sides by a number of dark oblique grooves.
Its length is about four feet and the plumage black, glossed with dark green except on head, neck, and lower parts, which are rufous. Still another form with a small casque is the Bushy-crested Hornbill (Anorrhinus galeritus), which is distinguished by a well-developed bushy crest. This species, according to Davison, is a shy bird, going about in small parties of five or six and keeping to the high forest trees.
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