Ananth Ramasamy’s image of an Oriental Pied Hornbill (Anthracoceros albirostris) was photographed in Singapore’s Pasir Ris Park. It showed a male hornbill about to pluck a flower bud of the Flame of the Forest (Delonix regia).
Hornbills are omnivorous, taking plants as well as animals for food. But do they take flower buds?
According to Kemp (2001), almost all hornbills are omnivorous. This means that they take plant as well as animal food. And in the case of the Indian Grey Hornbill (Ocyceros birostris), it takes flower petals, although rarely. Similarly, Great Hornbill (Buceros bicornis) takes flowers and buds, again also rarely.
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.
Ananth Ramasamy
Singapore
November 2015
Reference
Kemp, A. C. (2001). Family Bucerotidae (Hornbills). In: del Hoyo, J., A. Elliott & J. Sargatal (eds.). Handbook of the birds of the world. Vol. 6. Mousebirds to Hornbi
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