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Ficus subcordata and Helmeted Hornbills, Belalong Canopy Walkway, Brunei

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A male Helmeted Hornbill  Buceros vigil feeding on ripe Ficus subcordata figs at the Belalong Canopy Walkway, Temburong, Brunei  in May 2018. All photos  and information provided by  Hanyrol H. Admad Sah.

Helmeted hornbills are now rare in Borneo due to poaching for the hard red ivory like casque on top of the base of their bill. These  casques are illegally smuggled to China where they are  carved to make very expensive ornaments and jewellery.
Helmeted Hornbills are specialist feeders on  the largest  hemi-epiphytic strangler fig fruit particularly the figs of Ficus subcordata and Ficus dubia. Both fig species grow next to the Belalong Canopy Walkway and fruit around once a year.
The family of N. Borneo Gibbons resident in the forest next to the Belalong Canopy Walkway also came to feed. The photo above is of Kate the large female and her baby Wak Wak photographed in May 2018.
Female Helmeted Hornbill taking away a ripe  Ficus cordata fig.  A total of 3 Helmeted Hornbills  came to the fruiting Ficus subcordata tree including two males and a female and were seen in aerial combat in the area, clashing casque to casque in mid-air.
A pair of Rhinoceros Hornbills Buceros rhinoceros are also resident in the forest next to the Belalong Canopy Walkway. The female  (photo above) is clearly recognizable because she has a large fully developed “horn” on top of her bill. The male of the pair (not shown)  has a smaller immature “horn” on top of his bill. The Rhinoceros hornbills also fed on the Ficus subcordata figs and were seen to chase away the visiting Helmeted Hornbills.

 

 

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