The Malabar Pied Hornbill has a black body, white belly, and white wing edges. The male's large pale bill and casque stand out.
It has a black body and white belly; white trailing wing edges and outer tail feathers show in flight. The male's bill and casque are large, the female's are smaller, and juveniles lack a casque.
It uses rainforest margins and deciduous woodland, feeding mainly on fruits such as figs. It forages in tree canopies, picks up fallen fruit on the ground, and moves locally in search of fruiting trees.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.