Many safari goers will likely imagine exciting fights mostly taking place between prey animals desperate for survival, and hungry predators desperate for a meal.
Even territorial disputes might be easier to imagine between big cats, or hyenas. Birds like this crested barbet and southern yellow-billed ground hornbill might not make the cut of expectations, but that doesn’t make their territorial battle any less exciting.
This footage, taken from the Kruger National Park, shows an intense battle between three birds and proves that the stakes are high for all animals living in the wild, regardless of their type or size.
Down On The Ground
At the beginning of this footage, the crested barbet appeared to be foraging for food as it pecked at the ground. These birds aren’t long-distance flyers, and will often spend a lot of time on the ground.
They nest in the trees, and they can be very protective of their territory, especially during their breeding season in the later months of the year. This territorial nature often leads them into disputes with other birds.
Not The Only Bird Getting Low
At first, it appeared that the barbet was alone as it foraged for food, but when the camera changed angles it revealed that the barbet wasn’t the only bird that had taken to the ground.
Standing nearby, a much larger bird, the southern yellow-billed ground hornbill, was glaring at the barbet. Much like the smaller bird, these hornbills can be very territorial, making this an unfortunate encounter between two birds that were unlikely to back down from a fight.
The stage was set for an intense battle, with the territory and its resources at stake. Neither bird wanted to lose out on the potential of the area, but eventually one would have to fold.
Time For A Short Standoff
It wasn’t clear which bird was the invader and which was the defender, and it’s possible that these two birds were only just now finding out that their territory overlapped with another.
It was the hornbill that seemed to take a bigger issue with the presence of the barbet rather than the other way around. The smaller bird seemed entirely unbothered by the hornbill’s presence, barely even looking up from the ground.
Quite suddenly, it was the hornbill that decided enough was enough, and broke the standoff between them. It charged at the barbet, but the barbet refused to stand down and committed itself to fighting off the larger bird.
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Aerial Combat
The trials of this barbet weren’t over once it had fought the hornbill off, unfortunately. What appeared to be a third bird swooped at the barbet moments after it had warded off the hornbill’s attack.
It’s unclear what this newcomer was, but it was smaller than the hornbill and much closer to the barbet’s own size. Regardless, it too was an intruder and the barbet dealt with it harshly, ensuring that the territory belonged to it alone.
The little barbet’s strength and determination trumped all other birds, and meant that it stood victorious beneath the trees, free to use its territory as it saw fit.
