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Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill


Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill
Photo Information
Copyright: Michel Detay (M_Detay) Silver Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 21 W: 0 N: 160] (832)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2011-08-19
Categories: Birds
Camera: D3S, Nikon 80-400mm VR
Exposure: f/10.0, 1/1000 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2012-11-15 4:29
Viewed: 3552
Points: 6
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill (Tockus leucomelas)- Moremi National Park - Botswana

This is a good travel companion in all southern Africa. A friendly and funny bird.

It is a medium sized bird, with length between 48 to 60 cm, characterized by a long yellow beak with a casque (casque reduced in the female). The skin around the eyes and in the malar stripe is pinkish. The related Eastern Yellow-billed Hornbill from north-eastern Africa has blackish skin around the eyes.

Yellow-billed Hornbill feeds mainly on the ground. It forages for seeds, insects, spiders, but also scorpions. It may catch snakes, which kills beating them strongly on hard surface. It swallows the whole prey, and rejects indigestible parts. It hops on the ground in heavy manner. It can be very tame in parks and reserves, and it is often sighted along roads.

Yellow-billed Hornbill is seen solitary, in pairs or small groups. When calling, bill is pointed downwards and wings are raised.
It is active during the day, but mostly at dawn and dusk. It roosts high in trees during the night.

DIET: Yellow-billed Hornbill feeds on insects, rodents, fruits and seeds, sometimes snakes, lizards and scorpions.

PROTECTION / THREATS / STATUS: : Yellow-billed Hornbill is common and widespread in Southern Africa.
Miss_Piggy, drchoneydew has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Hello Michel
Wonderful capture of this group. Great POV,wonderful natural colours and excellent sharpness.
Thank You
Have a good day!
Best regards
J. Diogo

Hello Michel,
Wonderful that you can travel so much in the course of your work. Also a geologist and have done projects in China. Now approaching retirement age but that will be shoved onto the background as much as possible. What a pleasure to view your images ... and I am not talking about this one only. I wonder what the big argument is about here. Must be some domestic matter. Very well captured. Best wishes.
Neels

Hallo Michel
I always enjoy watching these birds with their rounded bills and especially their long eye lashes. Looking at this trio enjoying themselves is no exception. They are indeed funny birds and a pleasure to look at. Thanks for sharing. Best regards.
Anna

They look prehistoric!!!!! Love this

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