Great Hornbill Spotted on Kannur Coast: Kerala State Bird Notes
Why in the news
A Great Hornbill was seen in a coastal zone of Kannur district, an unusual location for a forest-dwelling threatened bird.
Key facts
- Local name: Malamuzhakki Vezhambal; Kerala’s State Bird.
- Sighting spot: Kakkampara, near Ezhimala, Kannur district, on the coast.
- Legal cover: Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, the highest protection level.
- Usual homes in Kerala: Silent Valley, Nelliampathy, Aralam, Athirappilly and Parambikulam.
Habitat note
The species normally lives in evergreen and moist deciduous forests, so a coastal appearance is called highly unusual and ecologically important.
Exam angle
- State bird of Kerala: Great Hornbill.
- Legal status: Schedule I, Wildlife (Protection) Act.
- Sighting district: Kannur, near Ezhimala.