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Male Oriental Pied Hornbill feeding female inside nest

on 25th October 2015

Jeremiah Loei’s Oriental Pied Hornbill (Anthracoceros albirostris) footage of a male feeding a female sealed inside the nesting cavity (below) was documented in Changi Village in early 2013s.

The hornbill flew to the nesting tree with a fig held at the tip of its pair of mandibles. It then flew to the nesting cavity, positioning itself outside the sealed opening. The male hornbill then passed on the fig through the narrow slit of an opening to the female sealed within.

It then systematically regurgitated one by one more than 15 figs it collected earlier and stored inside its crop to the female inside the nest. These were passed through the narrow slit that allowed for such a purpose.

After the figs, a crushed bird was regurgitated and also passed on to the female.

The male then flew off and out of the opening came projectiles of excrements. Considering the amount of excrement ejected, not to mention the amount of food delivered, it was possible that there were chicks inside.

The male then returned with a snail. It took a few attempts before the snail was successfully passed on to the female inside the nest.

Jeremiah Loei
Singapore
October 2015

This post is a cooperative effort between Birds, Insects N Creatures Of Asia and BESG to bring the study of birds and their behavior through photography and videography to a wider audience.

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

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