Pied Hornbill
Beez Neez now Chy Whella
Big Bear and Pepe Millard
Wed 7 Dec 2016 23:57
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Oriental Pied Hornbills Visit
Their Favourite Berry Bush
 A pattern seems to be forming – work
all morning, eat lunch, play backgammon, finish jobs and go to the pool. Today
we had a productive go at individual chores, strictly pink and blue.........At
four o’clock we headed for the pool, looking up in a tree some distance off we
saw a pied hornbill.
 She landed in a
berry bush, just behind the pool, this clearly signalled all was well and
seven more swooped in from surrounding roof tops and trees.
  In between berries they don’t mind
posing – this way and that.
 One wanted a
ground up view.
 Strolled and
posed.............
 ......then got
back to the business in hand. These fairly large birds are mostly
monogamous, find a disused nest or one they have used before and once mating has
happened the pair seal the cavity with a mixture of saliva, mud, fruit, droppings and tree
bark, leaving only a small opening through which food may be passed
in. The male forages for the female and
chicks, and the female feeds the nestlings. Chicks remain inside the nest with
the female for several months until there are ready to fledge.
  ALL IN ALL SUCH A
TREAT
SO CLOSE TO SUCH
EXOTICA |