A hornbill chick in India became entangled in a plastic string while trying to fly out of its nest but was lovingly rescued by wildlife volunteers.

The chick came from a nest built by a great hornbill bird on a tall tree in Pune, Maharashtra, western Indian, which included plastic strings in its building material.

The chick, which had grown up a bit, tried to fly on its own for the first time. As it leapt, a few loose plastic strings in the nest got entangled with its feet. The bird struggled to free itself only to get tightly entwined with the plastic strings all over its body.

On March 4, residents of a nearby apartment saw the bird precariously dangling from the nest with plastic strings attached to its neck like a noose, its life in danger. They brought it down with the help of a bamboo pole but were afraid to approach the chick due to its sharp beak.

Kind-hearted animal rescuer Saidas Kusal was called and went to the spot to help the bird. Holding the bird gently, patient Kusal removed a few strings patiently and then snipped off the rest with a scissor.

As Kusal could not find the chick's mother, there was no chance of reuniting the bird with its parent. As it was also slightly injured, and too young to survive on its own, the bird was turned over to an animal rehabilitation centre, where it will be treated for its injuries and released in the wild later.

Saidas said: “The bird was stressed, but luckily it did not bite.”

A Great Hornbill bird built a nest on a tall tree in Pune in western India by scavenging materials it could find including plastic strings.

When the mother bird was not around, one of its chicks, which had grown up a bit, tried to fly on its own. As it leapt, a few loose plastic strings in the nest got entangled with its feet. The bird struggled to free itself only to get tightly entwined with the plastic strings all over its body.

On March 4, residents of a nearby apartment saw the bird dangling from the nest with plastic strings attached to its neck like a noose. They brought it down with the help of a bamboo pole but were afraid to approach it thanks to its sharp beak.

They called animal rescuer Saidas Kusal who went to the spot and to help the bird. Holding the bird gently, he removed a few strings patiently and then snipped off the rest with a scissor.

He did not see the mother anywhere and hence, there was no chance of trying to unite the bird with its parent. As it was also slightly injured and too young to survive on its own, he left it at an animal rehabilitation centre, where it will be treated for its injuries and released in the wild later.”

Saidas said: “The bird was stressed, but luckily it did not bite.”