T.N. to survey hornbill population for long-term conservation

Forest officials in Tamil Nadu plan to launch an extensive field exercise to understand the status of hornbill populations across forest landscapes. 

Timed to coincide with the birds’ breeding season, the effort is part of the State’s initiative for hornbill conservation announced earlier this year, a senior official said.

Beginning in late December, teams will survey hornbill habitats until the end of March or early April 2026. The first phase will cover the Anamalai, Srivilliputhur–Megamalai and Kalakkad–Mundathurai tiger reserves, along with the Karamadai and Mettupalayam ranges under the Coimbatore forest division. These locations were prioritised based on earlier records and sightings of hornbills, the official said.

The survey is expected to be carried out using the line transect method, wherein forest personnel, biologists and researchers will walk several kilometres each day through identified habitats to record sightings and estimate population density. 

Four species are expected to be documented during the survey — the Great Hornbill, Malabar Grey Hornbill, Indian Grey Hornbill and Malabar Pied Hornbill. Beyond population counts, the initiative also aims to protect habitat, particularly the conservation of large, mature trees with natural hollows that hornbills depend on for nesting, the official added.

In July 2025, the State government announced the establishment of the country’s first Centre of Excellence for Hornbill Conservation at the Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) in Coimbatore district. 

Once the current phase is completed, the survey is expected to provide accurate population estimates that will help guide long-term conservation strategies.