About

• Hornbills are a family of tropical and sub-tropical birds which are found extensively in Africa, Asia and Melanesia. 
• Famously dubbed as the ‘Farmers of the Forest’, these frugivores (fruit-eating birds) help in seed dispersal of several endemic trees and are important for survival and upkeep of entire forests.
• In India, 9 subspecies of hornbills are found. They are: The Great Hornbill, Rufous-necked Hornbill, Wreathed Hornbill, Narcondam Hornbill, Malabar Pied Hornbill, Oriental Pied Hornbill, White-throated Brown Hornbill, Malabar Grey Hornbill, and the Indian Grey Hornbill. 
• Five species are found in the northeastern states of which the Wreathed hornbill, Rufous-necked hornbill and the White-throated brown hornbill are restricted to this region within India, although they have a wider distribution in South-east Asia. 
• The Narcondam hornbill is found only on Narcondam island (part of the Andaman Islands) in the Bay of Bengal. 
• The Indian grey hornbill occurs in the Indian subcontinent, while the Malabar Pied Hornbill is found only in India and Sri Lanka. 
• The Malabar grey hornbill is endemic to the Western Ghats.
  

Cultural significance

• Hornbills are cultural symbols of ethnic communities like Nyishi in Arunachal Pradesh.
• The Hornbill festival is celebrated in Nagaland. The aim of the festival is to revive and protect the rich heritage of Nagaland. The festival is named after the Hornbill bird, which finds mention in folklore of most of the state’s tribes.

Threats

• Hornbills are threatened mainly by habitat loss due to deforestation. 
• They are hunted for their meat, fat and body parts like casque and tail feathers, which are used as adornments.
• The beaks and head are used in charms and the flesh is believed to be medicinal.

Why in News?

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the people of Nagaland on completion of 25 years of Hornbill Festival. 

About Hornbill festival

• Conceptualised in 2000, the Hornbill Festival is a ten day annual tourism promotional event organised by the State Government of Nagaland to showcase the state’s rich and traditional cultural heritage.
• Dubbed as the “Festival of Festivals”, this event provides a unique platform for visitors to witness the Naga cultural diversity converging at one venue.
• The festival is named after the Hornbill, a culturally significant bird that symbolises beauty and grace in Naga folklore and ritual.

• The Hornbill Festival is held at the heritage village of Kisama. 
• Some popular dances during the festival include the warrior dance of the Angamis, the fire dance of the Konyaks, and the bamboo dance of the Sumis.

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2080938