The nesting boxes built for the Oriental Pied Hornbills (Anthracoceros albirostris) have proved successful when used in the Jurong Bird Park. Being caged and not able to seek out natural cavities in old and rotting trees, these hornbills have no choice but to make use of the nesting boxes to breed.
These boxes have also been used in the offshore island of Pulau Ubin where a large population of the hornbills are found. The hornbills have taken naturally to these nesting boxes, thereby lessening the pressure for natural nesting cavities in old and rotting trees on the island.
Robert Teo of the National Parks Board, who is based on this island, has provided a link to NParks website that shows a short video of the breeding stages of the Oriental Pied Hornbill inside one of these boxes – HERE.
In the meantime these boxes are being tested in various locations on mainland Singapore.
