Great hornbills

One of my goals is to get a chance to observe the Great Hornbills during my last trip to Thailand. Lady Luck was on my side, a huge ficus tree was heavy with fruit. All I had to do was park myself near the tree and wait for these large birds to come to feed.

You would think that hornbills are frugivores but they are omnivores. These large birds are apt hunters capable of raiding nests and hunting small mammals to fulfill their need for protein.

I didn't get to see these large birds with prey but they were awesome just to see fly in. The first thing you will hear are the loud and strong wing flaps as the bird approaches.

It doesn't take them very long to fly over you.
But you don't want to be standing under the hornbill when it's relieving itself.

The icing on my cake was having a chance to see a huge male great hornbill swoop in to feed his mate at his nest.