How rare is the "earth phoenix" that flew into people's houses in Nghe An?

(Dan Tri) - A strange 2kg bird that flew into a house in Nghe An in early October is in the group of endangered, rare species that need to be preserved.

On October 7, Tan Ky Commune Police ( Nghe An ) coordinated with Tan Ky Forest Protection Department and the Commune People's Committee to release a hornbill bird back into the wild after being handed over by local people.

Previously, on October 3, Mr. Dinh Duc Dung (residing in Tan Ky commune) discovered a strange bird, suspected to be a rare species, flying into his garden. Mr. Dung immediately reported to the authorities to receive the bird.

Tan Ky commune authorities and local people organized the release of hornbills into the wild (Photo: Thanh Trung).

The bird has a long wingspan, a large yellow beak, and weighs more than 2kg. Through inspection and identification, this is a hornbill ( Buceros bicornis ), belonging to the Bucerotidae family, in group IB - a list of endangered, rare animals, strictly prohibited from exploitation and use for commercial purposes.

Immediately afterwards, the bird was released into the wild in accordance with the law.

The hornbill is a large bird, 95-120cm long, with a wingspan of up to 1.5m, weighing 2-4kg. Its most prominent feature is the bright yellow and black cap on the top of the beak, a hollow structure made of keratin (horn) that accounts for 11% of the body weight. The male has red eyes, the female has blue eyes.

The Great Hornbill is a bird known for its beautiful plumage and striking orange-yellow hornbill (Photo: NikonUSA).

This species is distributed in plains and mountainous areas with tropical and subtropical climates in some Southeast Asian countries, India and southern China.

The function of the hornbill's brightly colored curved beak has always been a big question for scientists . The most well-founded hypothesis so far is that the beak is used as a tool to attract mates.

With its beautiful and unique appearance, the red-cockatoo is revered by many tribes as a precious bird and is chosen as a mascot to worship the gods during festivals. The ancients believed that this bird has spiritual significance and can soothe the souls of the deceased.

However, their beautiful beaks and plumage have contributed to the endangered species. Since ancient times, hornbill beaks and feathers have been used to make jewelry and elaborate decorative arts, making them a target for many rare animal hunters.

In August 2021, authorities at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Malaysia discovered a shipment of eight live captive hornbills en route to the international market.

From 2015 to 2021, there were 99 incidents involving the illegal purchase, sale, transport, and captivity of 268 hornbills of various species of this genus.

Even without the illegal trade, the Great Hornbill is still being driven to extinction due to its slow breeding cycle and inability to nest due to lack of suitable habitat. Significant numbers of the bird's population have been reduced due to the loss of its natural habitat, largely due to deforestation and human impacts.

However, the trade in hornbill horns in general and related species continues unabated. According to TRAFFIC, at least 3,188 hornbill heads, horned heads and skulls were seized between 2010 and 2020 in 66 cases in 6 countries.

In Thailand, between 2014 and 2019, there were 236 online advertisements for 546 parts and products from nine hornbill species, more than 80% of which belonged to the helmeted hornbill.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/khoa-hoc/loai-phuong-hoang-dat-bay-vao-nha-dan-o-nghe-an-quy-hiem-nhu-the-nao-20251009174010928.htm