Drawing Birds. Written and illustrated by Maurice Wilson. Published in 1965.

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A Southern yellow-billed hornbill (Tockus leucomelas) in Namibia

by John Quine

Animal of the Day!

Southern Ground Hornbill (Bucorvus leadbeateri)

(Photo by Andy Boyce)

Conservation Status- Vulnerable

Habitat- Central Africa; Southern Africa

Size (Weight/Length)- 6 kg; 130 cm

Diet- Small mammals; Reptiles; Amphibians; Fruits; Insects

Cool Facts- Being the size of a turkey, the southern ground hornbill is the world’s largest hornbill. While males and females are similar in size, only the male sports the brilliant red skin on their throat while the female’s throat is more indigo. Southern ground hornbills will eat any animal that is smaller than themselves, ranging from bullfrogs to small monitor lizards to hares. These hornbills live in small, family oriented flocks. Adult offspring will stay with their parents for up to ten years, helping to raise their younger siblings. By learning how to parent their siblings, southern ground hornbills are much more successful at raising their own babies throughout their sixty year lifespan.

Rating- 12/10 (Extremely successful captive breeding programs.)

A pair of show-offs

‘Southern yellow-billed hornbills displaying in Nxai Pan, Botswana.’

Photograph: Andrew Barker

Northern red-billed hornbill

Samburu National Reserve, Kenya

A single tree to you, might be a home for someone else...

Like this Balakbakan tree that is home to a family of Dulungan!

Dulungan parents work together to raise their chick. They use holes in large trees for nests, and seal them with fruit and animal matter, leaving a small hole big enough to pass food from the Dulungan dad to the Dulungan mom inside.

Haribon scientists like David Quimpo wait for days to observe this and other behavior. Their studies help local communities and governments make the necessary plans and policies to protect both forests and people.

The province of Antique in Panay declared August as Dulungan Month since 2020. Support organizations such as the Philippine Initiative for Conservation of Environment & the People (PhilinCon) and the Haribon Foundation to help conserve Dulungan and the forests we share with them. Dulungan is known internationally as the Rufous-headed Hornbill (𝘙𝘩𝘢𝘣𝘥𝘰𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘴 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘪).

https://philippinewildlife.art/portfolio/rufous-headed-hornbill/

Uncharismatic Fact of the Day

Great hornbills produce their own makeup! Males of this species spread yellow oil from their preen glands onto the white primary feathers and bill to attract females.

(Image: A male great hornbill (Buceros bicornis) by Ayuwat Jearwattanakanok via eBird)

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African Ground Hornbill Strutting Down The Streets

More for #LoveHornbillsDay:

Hornbills by T. W. Wood (1823-1903), plate from Curiosities of Ornithology, London, Groombridge & Sons, c.1871. Via BHL.

Two of them

two of them

Yellow-billed hornbills in the Kruger National Park.

Живой огонь. Illustrated by Mikhail Romadin. 1985.

Happy Poetry Month! Napowrimo-Day 4

Happy Poetry Month! Napowrimo-Day 4

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A pair of Southern yellow billed hornbills (Tockus leucomelas) court in Botswana

by Thomas Retterath

That hornbill image you reblogged is exactly like what I always pictured a male quetzalcoatlus looking

Yeah those beaks are super duper freaky looking

Nature (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) by Josiah Gachanja