Immature southern ground hornbill, also known as the African ground hornbill, Bucorvus leadbeateri (formerly; Bucorvus cafer) photographed at Tarangire National Park, Tanzania, Africa.
Image: Dan Logen, January 2010 [velociraptorize].
Nikon D300, 600 mm lens with 1.4 extender, ISO 400, f/9, 1/500 sec.
This is an immature southern ground hornbill,Bucorvus leadbeateri (this species is colour-coded; the yellow throat patch indicates this is a young bird. Males have a bright red throat patch and females have a bright red and blue throat patch). These birds are monogamous and do not reach sexual maturity until they are 4 years of age. Young birds depend upon their parents for nine months after leaving the nest and may help them to raise younger siblings.
Hornbills are a remarkable family of birds, having a number of morphological characters that set them apart from many other birds. The first two neck vertebrae (the axis and atlas) are fused together (a character that makes hornbills unique among birds) and they have a two-lobed kidney. They have short stubby legs and their three stubby front toes are partially fused at their base, and they have very long eyelashes that everyone remarks upon when they see these birds up close.
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