KOTA KINABALU: Hornbills are monogamous birds that pair for life, yet Malaysia’s forests may soon fall silent if nesting trees continue to vanish, warned Explore Gaia Enterprise founder and scientific director Dr Ravinder Kaur, who has spent nearly two decades studying the species.
“People see many hornbills flying and they think the population is fine. But where are the babies? Where are the juveniles?” she said, stressing that hornbills will not breed without natural tree cavities.
“If there are no hollow trees, they will not nest. They will just move in groups, flying and feeding, but they will not reproduce,” said Ravinder during the second National Hornbill Day celebration at Universiti Malaysia Sabah on Nov 11.
She recalled a story shared by a guide in Langkawi that illustrates the emotional depth of the species.
In the story, a female hornbill was shot by a poacher and taken away.
“The male kept returning to the same tree every day, searching for his partner. Only after two or three years did he pair with another female.”
She said hornbills are known for their loyalty.
“They are monogamous. When they lose their mate, some take years before finding another.”
On reproduction, Ravinder explained that hornbill species vary in size, as do their clutch sizes.
“We have 10 species in Malaysia. The bigger ones, such as the helmeted hornbill, lay only one or two eggs a year. Smaller species, such as the oriental pied hornbill, can lay up to four eggs, although usually only two chicks survive.”
She said while Malaysia sees relatively low levels of hornbill poaching, hunting pressure abroad continues to fuel the illegal trade.
“Local poachers often hunt to earn money for their families, but the amount they receive is very small, maybe between RM200 and RM300.
“The real profit is made by middlemen and traders, especially in China, where the hornbill ‘ivory’ or casque is carved into ornaments and jewellery. It looks like elephant ivory, so it is considered valuable.”
She warned that thousands of helmeted hornbill heads have been confiscated at airports abroad, particularly from Indonesia.
“We do not even know how many exist in the wild, but the number of seized heads is in the thousands.”
Ravinder said protecting hornbills brings greater value than killing them.
She said areas such as Kinabatangan offer some of the best hornbill-watching opportunities and could help generate income for local communities.
“You could just get on a boat in the morning and within two hours you would likely see hornbills along the riverbanks, at least the oriental pied and black hornbill. It is very accessible.”
