The Austen’s Brown Hornbill (Anorrhinus austeni) is a species of hornbill found in forests from north-eastern India and southern China and south to Vietnam and northern Thailand.
It inhabits the deciduous and evergreen forests from lowland plains to edge of pine and oak forest in hills, but mainly in the hill forest. It occurs in territorial groups of 2-15. The best place to see this species is the Namdapha National Park, Changlang District, Arunachal Pradesh.
It is often included as a subspecies of Tickell’s Brown Hornbill. The name commemorates the naturalist Henry Haversham Godwin-Austen.
Description
It is a medium-sized hornbill, brown with white-tipped tail. Male has white cheeks and throat, pale creamy bill, rufous- brown underparts. Female with head and throat dark.
Diet / Feeding
It feeds on fruit and small animals; diet includes many species of fruits, together with many arthropods, also bats, snakes, lizards, snails, earthworms, and chicks and eggs of other birds.
Breeding / Nesting
It is a co-operative breeder, with dominant breeding pair, male helpers and additional females. They nest in natural cavities or in old holes of Great Slaty Woodpecker in India.
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