Genomic mapping unlocks new insights into threatened Asian hornbills

By Adrian Cole · September 22, 2026, 2:34 AM · 3 mins read

A breakthrough in hornbill genomics offers scientists new tools to trace species history and guide conservation of four threatened Asian hornbills.

Scientists have, for the first time, assembled high-quality reference genomes for four threatened Asian hornbill species. This work, led by teams at the Nature Conservation Foundation in Mysore and the CSIR–Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology in Hyderabad, gives researchers a new foundation for studying hornbill evolution and planning conservation efforts.

Until now, only two of the 32 Asian hornbill species had complete genome data. The new study adds detailed genetic maps for the great hornbill (Buceros bicornis), rufous-necked hornbill (Aceros nipalensis), Malabar pied hornbill (Anthracoceros coronatus), and wreathed hornbill (Rhyticeros undulatus). The team used both short- and long-read DNA sequencing to improve accuracy, setting a higher standard for bird genomics in the region.

According to the IUCN, many hornbill species are classified as Vulnerable, Endangered, or Critically Endangered due to threats such as deforestation and hunting.
Encyclopaedia Britannica

“A genome is the complete genetic structure of an organism, [and] a reference genome is a baseline genome for a particular species,” said Pooja Pawar, corresponding author and doctoral researcher at NCF. With these new genomic resources, scientists can now trace the evolutionary history of hornbills across Asia, not just in isolated regions. Pawar explained, “I could go back in time, to when the species originated or diverged from its sister species, and not restrict [my research] to the Western Ghats or northeast India.”

Using statistical models, the team tracked population changes over thousands of years. They found that all four hornbill species experienced declines in effective population size during the Pleistocene epoch, between 2.5 million and 11,000 years ago, a period marked by unstable climate. Of the four, the wreathed hornbill kept a higher effective population size, likely because it ranges more widely. These findings are possible thanks to the new reference genomes.

Meghana Natesh, a conservation geneticist at WWF India who was not part of the study, pointed out the broader impact: “Genetic variation or diversity is crucial to the adaptive potential and long-term resilience of populations.” The new genomic data gives a baseline for measuring population health and shaping conservation plans. By comparing genomes, researchers can now link differences in hornbill traits to specific genetic changes, as Pawar noted.

The recent publication in BMC Ecology and Evolution confirms that the study focused on four Asian hornbill species and their population dynamics during the late Pleistocene, using genomic reconstruction to reveal declines in effective population size during periods of climatic instability.
Springer Nature / BMC Ecology and EvolutionJournal

This research gives Asian hornbill conservation a practical boost. With detailed genomic maps, scientists and conservationists can make more informed decisions about managing populations and supporting species recovery.

The Britannica overview of hornbills notes that habitat loss and hunting continue to threaten many hornbill species, making it urgent to use genomic data in conservation planning.

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Adrian Cole

Adrian Cole is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of GenoMethods, where he writes about bioengineering, genome and cell engineering, synthetic biology, computational biology and emerging research methods. His editorial approach focuses on how technologies actually work, how they are validated and where the evidence stops supporting the claim.