Hornbills in Malaysia

Posted by Rosemary Drisdelle Jul 30, 2007

The Belum-Temengor Forest Complex is an extensive and inaccessible area of forest in Malaysia—perfect for hornbill species that require large tracts of forests with abundant wild fruit. The Belum-Temengor part of the forest complex is the only place in Malaysia where all ten hornbill species of the region can be found.

Female hornbills seal themselves inside nest cavities in trees to incubate and raise young, while males bring food—the invisibility of nests makes it difficult to locate them, especially in difficult terrain. Although Bar-throated Wreathed Hornbills, Aceros undulatus, were known to be present in the Temengor, no nest has ever been seen. Now, during the breeding season of 2007, a male has been observed bringing food to the small opening of a sealed nest cavity.

A large area of the Belum Forest Reserve has been set aside and designated State park, however the Temengor area is being logged. The Malaysian Nature Society is lobbying for protection of this important hornbill habitat.

Read more about hornbills in the Temengor

Other recent bird discoveries:

New Hummingbird Species Discovered

A New Species – the Bugun Liocichla

New Bird Subspecies in Columbia