During our trip to Meghalaya a couple of years back, we heard about the Hornbill festival that happens in the first week of December in Nagaland. I was so fascinated by it, but sad at the same time, from the news that the number of hornbills is declining as they are being killed and eaten.
Hornbill Festival happening closeby
When my husband registered for the Hornbill festival in Dandeli, which is only about 90 kms from our place, I was the happiest person! The dates were 11th and 12th February 2023. We arrived at Dandeli the previous day and on 11th morning reached the venue in great anticipation. After an awesome breakfast we assembled in the main hall and listened to amazing presentations that opened up new areas in the brain.
Hornbills, the gems of Indian forest
Hornbills (Bucerotidae) are a family of bird found in tropical and subtropical Africa, Asia and Melanesia. They are characterized by a long, down-curved bill which is frequently brightly coloured and sometimes has a casque on the maxilla. A casque is a helmet-like process or structure on the bill of most hornbills.
They are the only birds in which the first and second neck vertebrae are fused together; this probably provides a more stable platform for carrying the bill. The family is omnivorous, feeding on fruit and small animals. They cannot swallow food caught at the tip of the beak as their tongues are too short to manipulate it, so they toss it back to the throat with a jerk of the head.
They are monogamous breeders nesting in natural cavities in trees and sometimes cliffs. Nesting sites may be used in consecutive breeding seasons by the same pair. Before incubation, the females, sometimes assisted by the male—begin to close the entrance to the nest cavity with a wall made of mud, droppings and fruit pulp. When she is ready to lay her eggs, the entrance is just large enough for her to enter the nest. She then enters the nest, seals the remaining opening shut, leaving only one narrow aperture, big enough for the male to transfer food to the mother and eventually the chicks. When the chicks and the female are too big to fit in the nest, the mother breaks out the nest and both parents feed the chicks.
In the Western Ghats there are four types of hornbills : Indian Grey Hornbill (endemic to India), the Malabar Grey Hornbill (endemic to the Western Ghats), Malabar Pied Hornbill (endemic to India and Sri Lanka) and the widely distributed but endangered Great Hornbill. Indian Grey hornbill is the most common species found in India.
The activities
There was a variety of activities lined up, apart from the presentations and interaction with eminent Birders and Bird photographers. We were taken for a walk into the forest for bird watching. It was a very enriching experience to watch the hornbills fly above us, to see the fruiting trees that they frequent. About 20 types of birds I got to see. We walked upto a water body, spent some time there, watching the magnificent Sun about to set, and returned.
There was a cultural program at the venue.
Got to see beautiful dance at the beginning of the function on 11th, which I could appreciate so well, being a Bharatanatyam dancer myself.
The safari
On 12th morning we assembled at 6.30 am for the safari. Here again we saw deer, Malabar giant squirrel, jungle fowl, a very friendly pea cock and while returning spotted a crocodile that was basking in the Sunlight near a small water body.
See how happy we were during the safari!
Awesome scenery en route
The friendly peacock :-
A delicious lunch
The lunch that was served on 11th was really good. The rumali roti, taro slices fried, sweet prepared in turmeric leaves, jalebi, a kheer type preparation that was unique – all these were so soothing to the stomach. May be because they were prepared from forest produce!
No comments:
Post a Comment