MIRI, May 18 — Lutong fire station personnel were left intrigued and amused when a hornbill repeatedly knocked on the windows of the station’s control centre.

The unusual encounter occurred around 10.30am on Monday, when the oriental pied hornbill hopped on the window ledge and began tapping the glass with its beak, as if attempting to get the attention of those inside.

Station chief Henry Jugah said the hornbill was not a stranger to his team as it would appear from time to time around the premises.

“The hornbill has visited the station on several occasions before, but this time its behaviour attracted more attention when it repeatedly knocked on the window panel,” he said, adding that the encounter was recorded by personnel on their mobile phones.

Henry also said the bird’s appearance would hopefully bring luck to Lutong fire station as the festive season is fast approaching.

The encounter brought back memories of an earlier incident involving the protected bird species.

In March, personnel from the station had rescued a critically injured hornbill at Kuala Baram Industrial Estate, after it was found lying weak on the ground amid sweltering heat and ongoing bushfires in the area.

Firefighters who responded to the incident later handed the exhausted bird over to the relevant authorities for further treatment and monitoring. — The Borneo Post