On sighting ‘hangrayo’, the Great Pied Hornbill

ONGDEN LEPCHA
Hornbills are one of the most spectacular birds, instantly recognizable by their huge bills. The Great Pied Hornbill is among the ten species, found in India. It is the largest bird among hornbills. In Sikkim it can be sighted at lower altitudes, locally called "hangrayo". It can be upto 120 cm tall. There is no exact number of species recorded from Sikkim although 2-3 species have been known to occur. Hornbills are large birds that live in the forest in natural hollow tree-trunks. Maina tree is a favoured nestling tree. This bird plays a helpful role in dispersing large -seeds in the wild. Hornbill bird is the logo of BNHS (Bombay Natural History Society) a prominent nature conservation society of India. All species of hornbills found in Arunachal Pradesh are the state birds.
My first sighting of a hornbill was at Singtam in the first week of April 2011. I was on the sixth floor balcony of a building and the single branch of one ficus tree in front of the building was swaying at intervals. Although there was no breeze and other branches were motionless. I kept an eye open on the branch for seconds, and then it happened. It flew onto the next branch! I was fortunate that my timing was spot on to catch a glimpse of a hornbill.
Now I could distinctly observe its long yellowish beak, pecking on golden-reddish figs which are their main diet. Because of its heavy weight it was causing the branch to sway while it pecked away. Its wing and tail pattern was conclusive proof of a Great Pied Hornbill. It was my long desire to see this majestic bird. I was completely mesmerized. I dashed for a camera but on my return, I found the bird had made away. Memory of years ago came gushing in. My father telling me that a long huge yellowish beaked bird used to visit the ficus tree in front of our building decades ago - was definitely true.
Another time but same place, same building on 21 October 2011. Alone on the roof-top of our building leaning against the railing looking at children playing cricket, hopscotch, etc on their respective roof-tops. That evening, a cool strong breeze was blowing as it snowed (the season’s first fall) the other day at higher altitudes. The cool strong breeze was making the branches of a pipal tree tremble, the common myna were not bothered but kept swaying with the branches.
Out of the blue, below my eye-level at a distance of 100ft. a huge hornbill passed by gliding, silently without flapping, completely exposing its long yellowish pointed beak. Its stunning wing in a curved shaped, striped with yellow-white-black feathers was marvellously arranged. Tail feather expanded into stripes of yellow- white- black. It is one of the most handsome birds in flight. I did not wink at all. It was again a Great Pied Hornbill. Children playing on their roof-tops gestured excitedly with their cricket bats towards the hornbill, causing the bird to alter its flight-path by a 45 degree turn. I guessed the bird was retiring to its nest after the day’s last meal. It flapped 4-5 times and flew above the decades old mango trees and perched on a tree on the other side of the river. The bird was now not visible to my eyes. Children resumed their activities. My eye, however, was still on the tree. Soon all hell broke loose. Resident crows erupted into a cacophony of kawk, kawk, kawk from a nearby tree. Few started fluttering overhead, encircling, and the hornbill took-off. As it took-off flocks of crows began following in a single- line. I kept following the hornbill as far as my eyes could see. Soon it became a blur and passed above the faraway sal tree top. It was a pleasant experience to watch this majestic bird in flight, so close.
A cherished memory!