Hornbill dad feeds chicks with dead birds, netizens express worry
On 7 March, a photographer in Singapore spotted a hornbill dad hard at work providing for its chicks in a tree.
Mr Srini Sridar told MS News that he came across the sight at around 4.30pm that day.
The bird family had taken up residence inside a tree at Tanglin Halt, with the chicks peering through a thin slit in the trunk.
Source: Srini Sridar on Facebook
According to Mr Srini, he noticed them because the hornbill father was calling for its partner and chicks.
In the footage, the adult oriental pied hornbill — likely a male due to the size of its bill — had brought home a bird egg for its eager kids.
However, it then accidentally cracked the egg in its beak, causing the yolk to drip down the side of the tree.
Evidently not the wasteful sort, the hornbill passed the eggshell to its chicks anyway.
Source: Srini Sridar on Facebook
The adult hornbill then began to rapidly bob its head, eventually coughing up a dead baby bird that it had swallowed.
Source: Srini Sridar on Facebook
It then fed the regurgitated chick to its kids, who fervently dug into their meal.
Source: Srini Sridar on Facebook
The hornbill subsequently coughed up a second dead bird chick for its offspring.
In the footage, the dead chick slid down its beak in a surprisingly smooth manner.
Mr Srini called the encounter “beautiful” and mentioned that he had seen the hornbills flying around in the area.
Netizens argue over revealing location of sighting
The video wowed several commenters. With regards to the hornbill killing chicks, a Facebook user claimed that a hornbill once flew into their balcony in an attempt to eat their pet bird.
Source: Facebook
Many netizens, however, called for Mr Srini to remove the location of the tree, alleging that NParks would seal the hole and leave the family homeless.
Source: Facebook
The claim came from a recent controversy on 28 Feb, where a Serangoon resident claimed NParks plugged a hole in a tree and denied some hornbills their nest.
However, NParks stated that it had checked and found no chicks or eggs before sealing the tree.
A netizen also replied to the above comment, stating that they had reached out to the statutory board about the Serangoon incident as well.
According to them, NParks preemptively sealed the hole to encourage the hornbills to nest elsewhere, as it would be difficult to cut the tree down should the need arise.
Source: Facebook
Another user criticised the netizens who asked Mr Srini not to reveal the location, accusing them of fearmongering.
“Did they bother to find out why NParks [did] what they did at the Serangoon case? No, they just like to assume NParks destroys nests,” wrote the netizen.
Source: Facebook
Also read: Hornbills visit Toa Payoh resident’s home, they perch on window in compromising position
Hornbills visit Toa Payoh resident’s home, they perch on window in compromising position
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Featured image adapted from Srini Sridar on Facebook.
