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Southern Ground Hornbill for Ben (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Sal
- Start date
Sal,
Your photo puts me in mind of the Abyssinian Ground Hornbill that I have photographed at San Diego Wild Animal Park. I am about to post a link to my photos of same, and I hope this works.
http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?p=999&gid=981048&uid=432834&members=1
Your photo puts me in mind of the Abyssinian Ground Hornbill that I have photographed at San Diego Wild Animal Park. I am about to post a link to my photos of same, and I hope this works.
http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?p=999&gid=981048&uid=432834&members=1
T0ny
Okillre Member
Marysan,
Nice site & pics. I may be able to help with your 'unknown' ducks. I think the first one (facing right) is an immature female Red-crested Pochard - the head and body colouration seem to fit, all that's 'odd' is the bill, which I think may be age-related, as with some duck species the bill changes colour to indicate readiness for breeding.
Number two seems to me to be an adult male Maned Duck (from Australia) - did you see it stretch its wings, and if so were there white panels on the secondaries ?
The goose appears to be an adult Ashy-headed Goose, from southern South America - from the illustrations I have, both sexes appear similar.
These tentative IDs are purely from looking at illustrations, so I may not be correct - perhaps one of our members from the relevant countries can check the pix out and confirm or deny ?
Tony
Just noticed there's another unknown duck, between the Pelicans and the White-faced Whistling Duck - that one, I think, is an adult male Cape Shelduck, from Southern Africa. Again, usual caveats apply.
Nice site & pics. I may be able to help with your 'unknown' ducks. I think the first one (facing right) is an immature female Red-crested Pochard - the head and body colouration seem to fit, all that's 'odd' is the bill, which I think may be age-related, as with some duck species the bill changes colour to indicate readiness for breeding.
Number two seems to me to be an adult male Maned Duck (from Australia) - did you see it stretch its wings, and if so were there white panels on the secondaries ?
The goose appears to be an adult Ashy-headed Goose, from southern South America - from the illustrations I have, both sexes appear similar.
These tentative IDs are purely from looking at illustrations, so I may not be correct - perhaps one of our members from the relevant countries can check the pix out and confirm or deny ?
Tony
Just noticed there's another unknown duck, between the Pelicans and the White-faced Whistling Duck - that one, I think, is an adult male Cape Shelduck, from Southern Africa. Again, usual caveats apply.
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Marysan, your starling pictures are fabulous! Why oh why can't we get an Eastern Golden Breasted Starling or an Amethyst Starling instead of the notorious European Starling??!! Unless of course, these guys are just as nasty as the regular ones! 
They are beautiful! Nice site.
They are beautiful! Nice site.
G
Gaye Horn
Guest
This particular hornbill is quite incredible looking and what purpose it appears to have walking across the street!Amazing looking bird.
Sal
Well-known member
Gaye that is a tarred road in Kruger National Park! I only wish it were an ordinary street . . . Ground hornbills are actually protected and are not often seen outside the reserve areas.Their numbers are decreasing rapidly because of habitat deterioration and there is a programme to remove one of their two eggs from known nests and raise the chick in an incubator as only one of the chicks usually survives in the wild. The incubator chicks are then rehabilitated to the bush when old enough. They are amazing birds, wonderful to watch and to listen to.
Donna the wonderful pics on the website are Marysan's, I wish they were mine! Marysan yes I see what you mean about the Abyssinian Ground Hornbill. Do they make a similar noise?
Donna the wonderful pics on the website are Marysan's, I wish they were mine! Marysan yes I see what you mean about the Abyssinian Ground Hornbill. Do they make a similar noise?
G
Gaye Horn
Guest
This is so good to hear that a program is in the working effort to sustain a disappearing species Sal. How successful has it been thus far?
Friends of ours just are back in Canada from your beautiful country. They went birding in Krueger Park... lucky them.
Friends of ours just are back in Canada from your beautiful country. They went birding in Krueger Park... lucky them.
Sal
Well-known member
In terms of the success of rearing and rehabilitation, Gaye, I believe the program has had reasonable success. But the numbers of chicks returned in this way is very small and the threat to the species is very large. I think there are about one and a half thousand birds left in South Africa and most of these are in reserves.
Thanks, DonnaA from Arkansas. I'd like to mention that not only am I fortunate to live within a 30 minute ride to the San Diego Wild Animal Park but as a senior I can buy the Senior Pass for something like $25.00 total. This allows me unlimited admissions to the San Diego Zoo and SD Wild Animal Park for a full year. A single General Admission ticket to either facility costs about $32.00 for a one day visit. I've never seen anything written such as the Senior Pass is limited to California residents only. If any of you are 63 or over and are planning a visit to these facilities it might be worth your while to inquire about membership in the San Diego Zoological Society. There are also memberships available for non-seniors. On my next visit, I will inquire about the state residency part.
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