Sri Lanka Gray Hornbill

Small hornbill with gray upperside and whitish underparts. Bill has no casque, and is pale in males, dark in females. In flight displays white outer tail and wingtips. Found in pairs and groups in forest and woodland, preferring drier areas. The only other hornbill in range, the larger Malabar Pied Hornbill, is black-and-white, and has a large casque on its bill. Song is an accelerating “kok-kok-kok” ending in a cackle; call a harsh “waa”.

The Sri Lanka Grey Hornbill (Ocyceros gingalensis) is a forest-dwelling bird that prefers drier areas and is endemic to Sri Lanka. It can be found in evergreen forests, deciduous woodlands, and large gardens and plantations, up to 1,200 meters above sea level.

It has an island wide distribution, in forested areas in the wet zone and riverine forest patches in the dry zone. The grey hornbill is frequently found in home gardens, bordering forested areas.