Wreathed Hornbill male

Last month while at Tabin Wildlife Reserve I saw this male Wreathed Hornbill Rhyticeros undulatus steadily feeding his sealed-in female partner on this huge “Mengaris” Koompassia excelsa tree.  I estimated that the nest-hole would be about 40m above the ground.  I believed this is still the incubation period and the male has a huge effort ahead to feed both the female and the coming chick. Studies done in Thailand have indicated that the Wreathed Hornbill would have a feeding range of up to 10 km2 during this breeding season.  On Mount Kinabalu I have seen this hornbill in flight near the mountain huts at around 3,200m.  More power to you, Mr Hornbill.

Blue-headed Pitta male

Here’s one of my all time favorites, the Blue-headed Pitta Hydrornis baudii.  This Bornean endemic is locally common in lowland primary forest but is constantly threatened by habitat loss.  Its behavior is similar to that of other pittas as is its feeding habit.