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Abyssinian Ground Hornbill


Abyssinian Ground Hornbill
Photo Information
Copyright: Manyee Desandies (manyee) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3064 W: 231 N: 6154] (21022)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2006-11-21
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon Powershot S3 IS
Exposure: f/3.5, 1/50 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2006-12-15 20:43
Viewed: 1049
Points: 34
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Abyssinian Ground Hornbill
Bucorvus abyssinicus

Geographical Range: Subsaharan Africa
Habitat: Steppes, Savannas, and Woodland
Diet in the Wild: Small animals, such as lizards, amphibians, mammals, birds, spiders, and insects. Some fruits and seeds.
Conservation Status: They are listed as vulnerable in South Africa and can only be found in reserves.

Physical Description:
They have black feathers, a large bill with a large growth, known as a casque, long eyelashes, stubby legs and toes, and broad soles. The circumorbital skin is blue, the extensive inflatable bare area on the throat and the inflatable foreneck are red with a blue area at the front of the throat. Males get red on the inflatable throat pouch and females remain all blue. Their height is usually up to three feet and their wing span can be up to six feet. Social Organization::
The are usually found in pairs, trios or quartets with young birds.
Special Adaptations: In South Africa the tribes use these birds as a tribal medicine. It is also custom to have one in the village because the villagers believe it brings them good luck. In Sudan, the native hunters will tie a stuffed head to their own head and will crawl through the grass while searching for prey. When the prey see this image they think that it is only the Abyssinian Ground Hornbill and are not suspicious.

Reproductive Behavior:
Slow breeders don't reach sexual maturity until they are about four years old. The females only produce two eggs and they are incubated by her for about a month long. After the eggs are hatched there is a competition between the two babies for the food brought by the parents. After a few days, one of the babies will die due to the lack of food. The remaining baby continues to live in the nest for an additional three months and is fed by the parents for an extra nine months.

This photo was taken at the San Diego Zoo

Source
Adanac, rufous03, CTP, fiyo, ramthakur, vanderschelden, Alex99, dew77, RAP, jchemas, Dave has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • arfer Gold Star Critiquer [C: 2731 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2006-12-15 21:03]

Hello Manyee

This looks like a star wars character.An amazing portrait,very good POV and DOF.The colours are bold and well saturated.Excellent eye contact.A very unusual looking bird indeed.Thanks for posting it.


Rob

How funny ...we are neighbors in the gallery. We must have posted our images within milliseconds of each other. Your hornbill is funny too. What a character!...and what a nice sharp image. I've got to get moving. I've been without a computer for over a day and we are leaving early in the morning. We are behind due to lack of power!

TFS
Evelynn : )

  • Great 
  • Adanac Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1169 W: 1 N: 5208] (17609)
  • [2006-12-15 22:06]

Hello Manyee,
How can you not love those eye lashes, Great POV, DOF and details. Thanks for sharing.
Rick

Very niec image. Sharp, good detail and color. Well done.

  • Great 
  • CTP Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 647 W: 6 N: 1106] (3191)
  • [2006-12-16 0:55]

Hi Manyee,
Excellent Hornbill portrait.
I like your pov,dof,note,colors,focus,sharpness,frame and composition.TFS
Chris

Nice detail and colours..very nice and well done

  • Great 
  • fiyo Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 987 W: 5 N: 2759] (10600)
  • [2006-12-16 2:05]

Hello Manyee
Excellent portrait,
Very good lighting, sharp and detailed image, very nice colours.TFS

This appears to me to be a truly unique species that ought not disappear from the face of the earth, Manyee.
Look at those curving eye-lashes with blue mascara!
I must congratulate you for capturing this wonderful portrait and thank you for sharing it.
Warm regards,
Ram

  • Great 
  • Dave Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 525 W: 47 N: 674] (2173)
  • [2006-12-16 7:35]

Hi Manyee,
I'm short on time...;-( But, have you seen the movie "Medicine Man" with Sean Conery? The thumbnail reminds me of him wearing that native mask at the indian celebration when his new research assistant "Bronx" arrived.
What an interesting bird and another exceptional capture!
Gotta go!
TFS,
Dave

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2986 W: 162 N: 929] (2735)
  • [2006-12-16 7:58]

Hi Manyee,
That's a very unusual angle of a hornbill and very successful! Fantastic details and colours and very interesting to see them in such a close-up. Razor sharp and a superb composition.
TFS and regards, Ulla

Hello Manyee.

Excellent picture, very good details and colors.

Regards.

Hi Manyee,
Good image...
No critiques...
TFS
Annick

  • Great 
  • Dando Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor [C: 637 W: 32 N: 792] (3084)
  • [2006-12-16 9:40]

Hi Manyee, what an interesting looking bird. Great portrait with good exposure, sharp details and excellent lighting. Good control over the DOF too. Good work, TFS and have a great Christmas.

Best wishes,
Dean.

  • Great 
  • Alex99 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3581 W: 143 N: 5669] (18529)
  • [2006-12-16 11:07]

Hi Manyee.
I am in delight from your magnificent portrait. Your model is simple beauty. Great colour palette, sharpness and details. Excellent pose. cropping and framing. Interesting and expressive illumination and impressive BG. Perfect done and TFS.
Alexei.

  • Great 
  • dew77 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4774 W: 294 N: 4020] (13209)
  • [2006-12-16 13:51]

Hello Manyee,
I'd never seen this bird before.Very interesting face,i liked eyelashs a lot:)POV,colors,sharpness,framing and composition are excellent.
TFS...:-)

  • Great 
  • RAP Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2524 W: 345 N: 2373] (7405)
  • [2006-12-16 14:09]

Otra excelente primer plano Manyee para tu portfolio.
Me encantan los colores y la agudeza captados, realzados por el correcto desenfoque del fondo de la escena y una muy atinada iluminación.
Me agrada el encuadre y recorte elegidos para su presentación.
Es una lástima que no hayas incluido los valores de la escena, siempre interesante para analizar más en profundidad.
Un cordial saludo desde Buenos Aires... Ricardo

Another excellent close up Manyee for your portfolio.
I love the colors and the sharpness captured, enhanced by the correct out of focus of the bottom of the scene and a very accurate illumination.
I like the framing and cropping chosen for their presentation.
It is a pity that you have not included the values of the scene, always interesting to analyze more in depth.
A cordial greeting from Buenos Aires... Ricardo

Hello Manyee.

Great close up shot of this hornbill, with superb colors, details and POV and BG.

Wishing a Happy Holiday Season and a Bright and Healthy New Year for You and your family.

Thank You for everything on this one

Regards

JC

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