Hornbill knocks on kitchen window of Ang Mo Kio flat in surprise visit, leaves 'gift' behind
An Ang Mo Kio resident got an unexpected visit from a pair of oriental pied hornbills on Dec 15.
Stomper Jen told Stomp the encounter happened at about 1.15pm just outside her flat at Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1.
"I had an unusual visitor — an oriental pied hornbill," she said. "It knocked on my kitchen window before landing on the laundry rack outside."
She added that the bird later flew down to a lower-storey unit, where it appeared to feed on something. Another hornbill soon joined it.
"After that, both hornbills made their way over to the rooftop of a neighbouring block," she said.
"One of them even left a little 'gift' after its meal."
She shared a photo of the hornbill pooping from its perch on top of the block.
"It was fascinating to watch these majestic birds up close," she said, adding that this was the first time she has seen hornbills in her neighbourhood.
"I don't usually see them around here."
Once thought to be extinct in Singapore, oriental pied hornbills have made a comeback after researchers introduced artificial nest boxes in 2005 and released captive-bred birds into local forests.
They are usually spotted in areas such as the Central Catchment Nature Reserve, Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Changi and Pulau Ubin.
