Data from: A conservation status survey of hornbills (Bucerotidae) in the Western Ghats, India

The Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot in India is threatened by habitat
loss and fragmentation, which is likely to impact large-bodied,
wide-ranging species with specialised requirements such as hornbills. In
this survey along the Western Ghats, we surveyed for four hornbill species
that occur here: Malabar Pied Hornbill Anthracoceros coronatus, and Indian
Grey Hornbill Ocyceros birostris (endemic to South Asia), Malabar Grey
Hornbill Ocyceros griseus (endemic to the Western Ghats), and the Great
Hornbill Buceros bicornis. We visited 45 localities across five states:
Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu. These included 26
wildlife sanctuaries, 5 national parks, 13 reserved forests, and one
plantation landscape. Across sites, we walked 80 transect surveys
totalling a length of 286.4 km. In all, 631 individual hornbills (412
detections) were recorded across 35 localities. The Malabar Grey Hornbill
was most frequently detected, and widely-distributed, followed by the
Great, and Malabar Pied hornbills. The Indian Grey Hornbill, more
widespread across India, was seen in only two locations in this survey.
Hornbill encounter was up to five times higher in moist, and wet forests
as compared to dry forest types. Based on hornbill distribution and
protected areas, five important hornbill conservation landscapes were
identified in the Western Ghats (Amboli–Goa–Dandeli,
Anamalai–Parambikulam–Vazhachal, Nilgiris– Wayanad,
Someshwara–Sharavati–Mookambika, Neyyar–Peppara–KMTR, and Periyar) along
with key reserved forests (Kottiyoor, New Amarambalam, Vazhachal,
Nelliampathy, Goodarickal, Kulathupuzha–Palode). Hornbill densities were
estimated in two of the above landscapes, and are provided as a baseline.
We highlight some key considerations for hornbill research and
conservation, and future needs.