Malabar Grey Hornbill

Adult Male

Dandeli WLS, Karnataka

Raju A K

This male probably had his female locked in a tree cavity over a clutch of eggs. He would get desperate to find food by evening. This was the time when he did not mind our presence and would come close for a photo moment. This particular day he was close again and swooped down, about two minutes later he came up with this huge Indian Black Scorpion. He sat there in our full view all the time pressing the scorpion, (which is why there is a shake on the head of the bird) and swallowed it whole. We could not see the pincers of the scorpion although the venom bulb was in intact.