Recently, rare footage of a great hornbill chick exiting a tree hole to get its first glance of the outside world was captured in the Tongbiguan Nature Reserve in Yingjiang County, Yunnan Province.

Every spring, great hornbill couples choose tree holes as a nest for hatching. The male and female birds cooperate to seal the hole's entrance, creating a safe environment for the females who remain inside to hatch her eggs. Her partner will pass her food for the duration of that process. The period of confinement for chicks can last up to 90 days, after which the female will break out of the nest to help her partner find food for their young. 

When the chicks are 45 to 85 to 80 days old, the sound they make changes, and their parents stop bringing them food to encourage them to break through the barrier and leave. When they are mature enough, the chicks fly out of the hole to the encouraging sounds of their parents, ready to enjoy the brand new world.

The great hornbill is listed as "Near-Threatened" on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List and is under the second-class state protection in China. There are 45 species worldwide, with five species distributed in China.

(Cover via VCG)

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