"The nest was sealed on March 6, and after 123 days of incubation and brooding, the female and chicks successfully came out of the nest on July 6." Yang Zuwei, an engineer of the Yunnan Tongbiguan Provincial Nature Reserve Management and Protection Bureau, told reporters.
The moment the chick leaves the nest. Photo by Yin Yihu
The moment the chick leaves the nest. Photo by Yan Qiu
"This is the first time that Chinese hornbills have successfully bred hornbills in the wild by artificially attracting nest boxes, which is of great significance." Duan Yubao, an associate professor at Southwest Forestry University, and his research team have been conducting scientific research on three species of hornbills in the "China Hornbill Valley" in Yingjiang County, Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province, for two consecutive breeding cycles. He said that the hornbill is the flagship species of the tropical rainforest, known as the "farmer of the tropical rainforest", and can spread seeds over long distances, which plays a very important role in maintaining the relationship between animals and plants and expanding the area of the tropical rainforest. In addition, hornbills have a unique way of breeding, such as the female being in the nest throughout the breeding season.
The moment the female bird leaves the nest. Photo by Yin Yihu
"Hornbills don't actively peck at tree holes to build their nests, they need to use natural tree holes or tree holes left by other animals to build their nests. There are very few natural nests suitable for hornbill nesting in China, and it is a good way to supplement hornbill nests by adding hornbill artificial nest boxes in suitable habitats. The successful breeding of hornbills in the wild by artificial nest boxes has a very positive effect on the study of Chinese hornbills, the recovery of future populations, and the protection of species. Duan Yubao said.
The male feeds the females and chicks in the hornbill's artificially attracted nest box. Photo by Zhu Bian Yong
It is understood that there are five species of hornbills in China, and the "China Hornbill Valley" is the only area in the country where there are stable breeding records of three species of hornbills at the same time, and it is also the most densely distributed area of hornbills in the country. Since 2021, the Dehong Forestry and Grassland Bureau has conducted a thorough survey of the distribution of hornbills in Dehong Prefecture, and set up a hornbill patrol team consisting of protected area technicians, forest rangers and community villagers to protect and monitor hornbills in the area.
During the monitoring process, the patrol team found that with the increase in the number of hornbills, there were situations such as nest competition and lack of nesting trees, and the Yunnan Tongbiguan Provincial Nature Reserve Management and Protection Bureau took the initiative to plan and declare the hornbill protection project, trying to solve these problems by placing hornbills to artificially attract nest boxes. After 3 years of continuous correction and upgrading of hornbill artificial attraction nest boxes, a major breakthrough will finally be made in 2024, and 1 nest of corolla wrinkled helmet hornbills has successfully achieved attraction, breeding and juvenile survival out of the nest box in the hornbill artificial attraction nest box.
Males and females wait for the chicks to come out of the nest at the mouth of the hornbill's artificial nest box. Photo by Yin Yihu
"The hornbill artificial attraction nest box is placed in an orderly manner to guide the hornbill into the nest and brood and achieve success, which is a milestone in the history of Chinese hornbill conservation and breeding research. We will continue to promote the application and promotion of the results, carefully formulate the 'Hornbill Five-Year Action Conservation Plan', strive for more support, and ensure the sustained and stable growth of the hornbill population and population in the 'China Hornbill Valley' through a series of scientific and technological innovation measures for conservation and breeding." Yang Zhenghua, director of the Dehong Forestry and Grassland Bureau, said.
The male rests on a branch near the hornbill's artificial nesting box. Photo by Yin Yihu
It is reported that as of press time, among the 28 nests of hornbills bred in the "China Hornbill Valley" in 2024, only one nest of corolla wrinkled helmeted hornbills bred in natural nests has not been out of the nest, and the rest have all been successfully out of the nest.
Source: Dehong Financial Media (Reporter Zhu Bianyong, Yin Yihu, Yan Xiao, Dong Libin, Yingjiang Financial Media Reporter Yan Qiu), Yunnan Daily-Cloud News
Editor-in-charge: Lu Shicheng, Chen Jie
Responsible proofreader He Dan
Editor-in-chief: He Xiaoyu
Final Review: Editorial Board Member Li Rong