Search

Oriental Pied Hornbill eating guava and rambutan

on 7th February 2010

An earlier report by Johnny Wee describes the Oriental Pied Hornbill (Anthracoceros albirostris) eating guava fruits (Psidium guajava) by picking pieces off the attached fruits and swallowing them. On the other hand, Tan Teo Seng observed the hornbill in his farm in Johor, Malaysia, picking ripe guave fruits, mandibulating them before swallowing. These are probably smaller fruits and softer, probably in an advanced ripening stage, thus soft.

In the case of the rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum), Marcus Ng reports the Oriental Pied Hornbill swallowing the fruits whole. Johnny Wee, on the other hand, observed the hornbill picking up the fruit and attempting to break the skin with the tip of its bill but invariably fails as the fruit slipped away (above).

Image by Johnny Wee.

If you like this post please tap on the Like button at the left bottom of page. Any views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the authors/contributors, and are not endorsed by the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM, NUS) or its affiliated institutions. Readers are encouraged to use their discretion before making any decisions or judgements based on the information presented.

YC Wee

Dr Wee played a significant role as a green advocate in Singapore through his extensive involvement in various organizations and committees: as Secretary and Chairman for the Malayan Nature Society (Singapore Branch), and with the Nature Society (Singapore) as founding President (1978-1995). He has also served in the Nature Reserve Board (1987-1989), Nature Reserves Committee (1990-1996), National Council on the Environment/Singapore Environment Council (1992-1996), Work-Group on Nature Conservation (1992) and Inter-Varsity Council on the Environment (1995-1997). He is Patron of the Singapore Gardening Society and was appointed Honorary Museum Associate of the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM) in 2012. In 2005, Dr Wee started the Bird Ecology Study Group. With more than 6,000 entries, the website has become a valuable resource consulted by students, birdwatchers and researchers locally and internationally. The views and opinions expressed in this article are his own, and do not represent those of LKCNHM, the National University of Singapore or its affiliated institutions.

Other posts by YC Wee

5 Responses

  1. Perhaps in an highly urbanised environment, the Oriental Pied hornbill being an adaptable species, has to make do and adapt to whatever fruits and food that are available.

    In Malaysia, the OHP is the only species known to forage in town areas e.g. Kuantan and rural areas and on small islands On some islands, they will sometimes go into restaurants at resorts to get food or breakfast.

    In Peninsular Malaysia, the OHP has been known to nest in durian trees and at one occasion even in a large earthern water jar in a kampung (village) in Terengganu! Although an adaptable species it is also one of the least studied species here.

    Cheers,
    Mike Chong, Malaysia

Leave a Reply to Bird Ecology Study Group Oriental Pied Hornbill catches insects Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Categories
Archives

Overall visits (since 2005)

Live visitors
1064
26372
Visitors Today
51765373
Total
Visitors

Clustrmaps (since 2016)