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Call me Beautiful!!


Call me Beautiful!!
Photo Information
Copyright: Japie Venter (japie) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1814 W: 100 N: 1904] (5187)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2004-08-12
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon EOS 300D, Sigma 170-500mm APO
Exposure: f/5.6, 1/200 seconds
Details: (Fill) Flash: Yes
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2004-08-27 5:52
Viewed: 1444
Points: 32
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Helmeted Guineafowl (203) (Shot in the Somerset West botanical Gardens)
A large, gregarious ground-bird. Size 58-64 cm - larger than a chicken. Afrikaans: Gewone Tarentaal

The bill is short, strong and arched. It is yellowish-brown. The cere is red and runs into an area of red skin which covers the top of the head, and extends into a strange horn-like Casque, which curves backwards. There is an extensive area of greenish blue facial skin, which extends onto the upper neck as well. Between the eye and lower mandible are two "wattles" of loose skin which hang down and are greenish-blue with a reddish tip. The legs and feet are blackish.

The plumage is greyish-black, completely covered with small white spots

This is a common and familiar bird of bushveld, farmlands and open grassland areas across the country. It is usually seen in flocks, which sometimes number in the hundreds. This species spends most of the time on the ground, and birds are active and busy within the flock, males chasing each other around, scratching with their feet and pecking at morsels. Usually run away when approached, but will also fly, with rapid wingbeats. At night they roost in a tree or other tall structure.

They eat seeds, bulbs, tubers, berries, insects, snails, millipedes and ticks. Will scavenge in farmlands and around farmsteads for scraps and fallen grain.

Helmeted Guineafowl make a number of different sounds, the raucous, chattering alarm call: kek-kek-kek-krrrrrr. It also has a musical two-syllabled whistle, often heard at evening time: pittoo, pittoo, pittoo - the second note is higher and louder than the first and this call may continue repeatedly for some time.

Nesting: The Helmeted Guineafowl nests throughout the summer months. The nest is a large scrape on the ground, which is lined with dry grass; It is hidden amidst dense grass cover or under bushes. Up to 19 eggs are laid, and more than one female may lay in the same nest.
carper, AndyB, CaptiveLight, PDP, Callie, Robbrown, elihesam, Lourens, jhm, gerhardt, petertee, Annalise, touristdidi has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Hij is prachtig Japie,
Very good head, I dont think he is ugly, he is beautiful, good composition, great colours, and a good dof, very good note. You did a good job here. Erg goed gedaan

  • Great 
  • AndyB Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1391 W: 32 N: 1350] (3982)
  • [2004-08-27 6:43]

A good capture.
A strange looking bird indeed!
Excellent colours and DoF,a great note too.
Very well done.

I like these birds, and this isthe first time I've actually seen the head detail close up. Thanks for sharing.

  • Great 
  • RAP Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2524 W: 345 N: 2373] (7405)
  • [2004-08-27 11:26]

Bella ave Japie.
Excelente colorido, encuadre y DOF.
Tal vez la nitidez no es la mejor (no sé si podría mejorarse o no), pero es aceptable.
Muy interesantes notas también.

Beautiful bird Japie.
Excellent colorful, frame and DOF.
Perhaps the clearness is not the best one (I do not know if it could improve or not), but is acceptable.
Very interesting notes also.

Quite an appearance this guy is making, but I would actually call him beautiful - well, "unique", to say the least. Wonderful colors and very good DOF; you made a great close-up, Japie.

  • Great 
  • PDP Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor [C: 2821 W: 344 N: 3779] (11769)
  • [2004-08-27 13:59]

I hope she doesn't look in the mirror! This is a good capture and the colours are great, I think it could be a tiny bit sharper on the head though. The note is excellent.

  • Great 
  • Callie Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1132 W: 105 N: 2609] (7531)
  • [2004-08-27 14:19]

Japie
Baie moeilike knaap om red te skiet. Ek dink ek het drie op TE.
Scarf on the neck is great
BG is 100%, nice OOF
Nice details on facial skin too.
Flash just about 1/2 stop too much brightness.

Japie good view of these stange birds, the ones we used to have thought they where in charge and chassed people round the garden.

Yes She is beautiful,full of colors,and I know this kind of bird,there are a few kinds of it in Iran.
and you captured it very fine,with a nice glary spot in her eye,the pose is great ,for showing the face in a good way,...and thanks for great note,scientific.
I like it,Japie.

Very nice mug-shot, Japie. Very colourfull- I thing this bird has gone a little over the top in the make-up department!!

Beautiful shot of a ugly bird ;-)
Very good shot , good colors and a good note.
Well done.

  • Great 
  • jhm Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 649 W: 0 N: 178] (628)
  • [2004-08-29 6:16]

Schitterende kop, perfect DOF, zeer mooie kleuren, goede composition. Mooi werk hier Japie.
Splendid head, perfectly DOF, very lovely colours, good composition, wonderful job here, Japie!

This is a nice portrait, Japie. Very nice compo and details. A rainbow of colours. Nice note too. Thanx for sharing. Did you use USM?

Lovely to see such a close-up portrait of this handsome and vain-looking bird. These birds are what spring to mind and remind me of a wonderful visit to the Cape some years ago. The bird life was amazing. I love the preposterous and silly manner they exhibit - if that's not too anthromorphic :o)
(Whew! I nearly referred to it as a 'she' - close call that! 8-)

Very good portrait photo of this ugly guy. Good sharpness on the feathers as well as the face. The laboratory where I work is on a smallholding near Kyalami and a whole flock of these guys comes to visit every morning. They are so noisy that it is difficult to hear clients on the phone, a real nuisance sometimes. But I love them all the same.

Pretty weird up close. So many different decorations, wattles, feathers, colors, poiny head. What a bird! wow!!!

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