🌿 Chirping Gypsy Travelogue | The Great Hornbill Diaries of Palakkad

Day 1 – The Road to Nelliyampathy

On 11th January 2025, a long-cherished dream finally took shape. Four of us, bonded by our love for birds and travel, left Bangalore at 4:30 am, chasing the misty roads toward Kerala. By noon, after drifting past fields, coconut groves, and villages, we reached the small and serene hamlet of Nelliyampathy in Palakkad.

Welcomed by our local guide, we began winding through tea gardens that opened up to the magical forests where the Great Indian Hornbill (known as Vezhambal, the State Bird of Kerala) reigns. These hornbills, often called the Seed Dispersers of the Western Ghats, are frugivores that feast on figs—swallowing fruits whole and flying miles away, scattering seeds and regenerating forests.

By 2 pm, we were at the nesting point, standing with other excited families and photographers. The air was charged with anticipation. Hours passed. Then at 4:30 pm, the silence broke—the whoosh of mighty wings thundered across the canopy. The Great Hornbill appeared.

The male, throat full of figs, flew straight to the nest opening, feeding his sealed-in mate. We watched, spellbound. The ritual was precise, tender, ancient—and profoundly moving.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/3-sBr7WTUvk

Day 2 – Surprises of the Forest.

The next morning, we set out once again, driving through mist-laden tea gardens. The forest, however, had surprises in store. A Black Eagle perched on a tree near the nest, surveying for a chance to prey on chicks—a stark reminder of the constant fight for survival in the wild.

At another nesting site, we observed the female hornbill sealing her nest cavity with mud, leaving just a slit for the male’s daily offerings. The patience of the male—arriving tirelessly with figs, fruits, and later, protein food like pit vipers and fledgling birds—was humbling to watch.

We stood there for 6 hours, eyes fixed on the nest action, until hunger drew us towards a little tea shop tucked deep inside the jungle. To reach it, we crossed a hanging bridge under the thick canopy—a small adventure in itself. Served on banana leaves, hot Kerala food, and piping chai revived us. Just as we took our break, a group of hornbills flew overhead, their loud wingbeats echoing like drums. A spectacle so grand, it froze us in awe once more.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/bUpypMtmubs

Day 3 – The Last Walk in the Wild

On our final morning, we reluctantly set out for one last exploration. Driving back through the tea gardens, destiny rewarded us with another rare sight—a pack of Dholes (wild dogs) waiting stealthily to hunt Sambar deer. Nature, in just two days, had offered us a profound theater of life itself—survival, resilience, and beauty woven together.

As we packed up to leave, it felt like a part of us had been sealed within Nelliyampathy, much like the female hornbill inside her nest.

🌳 Why Hornbills Matter – Nature’s Regenerators

The Great Hornbill is not just a bird—it is a keystone species of the Western Ghats.

Here’s why:

1. Figs – Year-Round Lifeline

   • Fig trees (Ficus) fruit at different times, ensuring food abundance even in lean seasons.

   • Studies show figs can make up 70% of a hornbill’s diet during parts of the year.

2. Energy Boost

   • Figs give sugars (fuel for long flights) and hydration, critical during dry months.

3. Breeding & Nesting Near Figs

   • Female hornbills stay sealed inside nests for 3–4 months, relying on fig-rich areas for survival.

4. Mutualism in Action

   • Hornbills gulp figs whole, fly long distances, and excrete seeds far from parent trees.

   • This dispersal regenerates forests.

   • Fig trees sustain hornbills → Hornbills sustain forests → Forests sustain us.

✨ Closing Note – Chirping Gypsy Journey
Two days in Nelliyampathy gave us more than photographs—it gave us perspective. The Great Hornbill, with its mythical presence, is more than Kerala’s state bird; it is a reminder of the delicate threads binding life together. Watching them was not just a sighting, but a soulful encounter with the rhythm of the wild.

Until the next journey, the echo of those wingbeats will remain etched in our hearts.