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This one was at Nkulu. and his feet looked quite sharp after the ordeal. Experience will teach them not to sit on hot stuff.

Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill (Tockus leucomelas)

This is probably the most common Hornbill in Kruger but also the one on which I found the least information on the internet!

Afrikaans: Geelbekneushoringvoël
French: Calao à bec jaune
German: [Südlich] Gelbschnabeltoko
Dutch: Geelsnavelneushoornvogel

The Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill is a medium sized bird, with length between 48 to 60 cm, characterized by a long yellow beak with a casque (only in males). The skin around the eyes and in the malar stripe is vivid red-coloured.

They present white belly, grey neck, and black back with abundant white spots and stripes. They feed mainly on the ground surface, where they forage for seeds, small insects, spiders and scorpions. Termites and ants are a preferred food source in the dry season.

Females lay 3 to 4 white eggs in their nest cavities and incubate them for about 25 days. Juveniles take about 45 days to mature.

This hornbill is a common, widespread resident of the dry thorn fields and broad-leafed woodlands of inland southern to northeastern Africa. Frequently they can be sighted along roads.

Anyone with more info or photos of this Hornbill please post it here.

aka...The Flying Banana

The bathing manner of the SYH is cute to watch.With the 1st rains the apple leaf tree becomes a bathroom for them.Because it's leaf is broad which then holds water and the tree has no thorns the birds semi-crash land onto it top section,they then flop around with wings open bathing themselves.No rain has fallen of late and i got a new sprayer which now sprays onto a silver raisin bush, down they come,flop- flop open wings bathing themselves. It's strange they do not use the bird-bath as the other birds do. They also sand bath.

What a fight, they get their beaks interlocked and it looks as if they try to twist the others head off.

Spotted this guy in an odd place about a month ago. On the alternative route to Krugersdorp, bypassing the Grassmere Tollplaza. You turn off the N1 towards Randfontein going past Hillshaven. The first bit is still quite undeveloped veld. Saw one flying in to land on a tree. Seen a Spotted Eagle Owl in the same area twice, perching by the side of the road. Plus a whole bunch of Ciconia Ciconia after a huge veldfire ravaged the area hours before we passed. My sister lives near the Sterkfontein Caves so we use the road often.

Beautiful bird. And one of my favourites....






And here's a photo of all three of them together: yellow-billed, grey and red-billed

an interesting choice of food

Taken in Pretoriuskop Camp

If there is another thread then mods, once again, please merge.

One of the most amusing birds of the park.

Hi,

Saw this one munching on a Tchagra!



Barcud

Interesting sighting here, well captured!