Oriental Pied Hornbill eating MacArthur palm fruit

posted in: Feeding-plants, Hornbills | 2

Johnny Wee came across an Oriental Pied Hornbill (Anthracoceros albirostris) at Singapore’s Changi Village on the morning of 11th January 2009. The bird was perched above the fruiting branch of a MacArthur palm (Ptycospermun macarthuri) and picking the ripe fruits one by one (above left). The hornbill gingerly picked up a fruit with the sharp bill tip and with the upward flick of the head, swallowed it (above right).

After the bird had its fill, it started pecking its preen gland sited at the base of the tail and began preening its feathers (left). Part of the hornbill’s comfort behaviour…

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