Bangladesh’s hornbills face hunting risk during breeding season

Bangladesh's hornbills face a significant threat during their breeding season, with rescue records indicating a spike in incidents between May and August, when the birds are nesting, breeding, and raising their young. Analysis of data from the Forest Department and Bangladesh Police reveals that at least 26 hornbills, comprising 14 great hornbills and 12 oriental pied hornbills, were rescued in 12 separate incidents between 2023 and 2026.

Eight of these cases originated from the southeastern region of Bangladesh, where hornbill habitats are concentrated. Moreover, a 2018 report by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Bangladesh highlights that hornbills were also collected during the nesting season in the Chattogram Hill Tracts. According to a 2021 study published in Scientific Reports, the breeding season for this species stretches from March to mid-August.

Hornbill researcher Humayra Mahmud, an assistant professor of zoology at Noakhali Science and Technology University, explains that the risk to hornbills during this period is closely linked to their distinctive breeding behavior. Female hornbills seal themselves inside a tree cavity, sealed off with mud or vegetation, and are unable to leave the nest during the breeding period.

Meanwhile, the male remains outside, diligently bringing food to the female and later to the chicks inside the cavity. This unique behavior makes the nest more accessible to hunters, as reaching the cavity provides access to both the female and the chicks.