It was a great opportunity to take pictures of this magnificent bird, thanks to my friend and wildlife photographer Baiju Nemmara. He was well aware of the location and the time male bird takes between visits to the nesting tree.
Before laying eggs, female bird closes the nesting hole, except for a small opening through which male bird can pass on food to her and the chicks, once it is hatched. A portion of its beak (in yellow) can be seen just above the leaves
With the luck on my side that day, male bird came to the nest within 15 minutes of us reaching there. Its wingbeat was pretty loud, as if making an announcement. This time, he caught a snake and fed it to the female bird inside. I was told that it is very rare that we see hornbill catching a snake.
