Unusual Bird Found on Gourd Trellis Turned Over to Forest Protection Officials – This rare and precious bird is a striped-billed hornbill, belonging to the hornbill family and classified as a critically endangered species.
On the evening of May 13, the Forest Protection Sub-department of Ho Chi Minh City received a striped-billed hornbill voluntarily surrendered by a resident from Hoc Mon district.
Residents in Ho Chi Minh City encounter a rare striped-billed hornbill. (Photo: N.K).
Mr. Trinh Duc Hung, a resident of Xuan Thoi Dong commune in Hoc Mon district, shared that two days prior, a family member was tending to their vegetable garden on the rooftop when they spotted a bird perched on the gourd trellis and caught it.
After searching online, Mr. Hung discovered that the bird was a rare species, so his family contacted the Forest Protection Sub-department of Ho Chi Minh City to surrender it, hoping that the animal would be cared for, rehabilitated, and eventually released back into the wild.
According to the Forest Protection Sub-department, this striped-billed hornbill (Rhyticeros undulatus), is a female weighing approximately 1 kg and is classified as group IB in the list of critically endangered wildlife. Initial assessments indicate that the bird is in poor health, with feather loss on its chest and legs, and has weak flying abilities.
Recently, residents in Ho Chi Minh City have repeatedly discovered rare animals entering their homes. On April 21, the Forest Protection Sub-department received its first peacock, which had been found perched on a balcony and was subsequently handed over to the wildlife rescue station. This species is exotic and not native to Vietnam.
Three days later, a security guard at Van Don Secondary School (District 4) captured a large bird that students reported had landed on an air conditioning unit and turned it over to the Forest Protection Sub-department.
On April 20, the Forest Protection Sub-department also received and rescued a white-bellied sea eagle. The animal was voluntarily surrendered by Ms. Nguyen Thi Minh Chau from Xuan Thoi Dong commune in Hoc Mon district. The white-bellied sea eagle weighs about 0.4 kg and is scientifically known as Anthracoceros albirostris, classified as group IIB in the list of critically endangered wildlife.
