Sunday, March 16, 2014

Von der Decken's Hornbill

Von der Decken's Hornbill Tockus deckeni
Mega Area, Ethiopia
18 January 2014



    I have seen fourteen species of hornbill on two continents, yet they never cease to amaze me, and always serve to reinforce that I am somewhere tropical, somewhere I am privileged to be. Once again this was the only day that I saw a species and it was simply spectacular. Despite its enormous bill it feeds mainly on fruit, seeds, buds, and insects including grasshoppers, mantids, crickets, beetles, termites ants and cicadas. Opportunistically it will also take tree frogs, snails, small rodents, lizards and nestling birds.
David M. Gascoigne,
David M. Gascoigne,

I'm a life long birder. My interests are birds, nature, reading, books, outdoors, travel, food and wine.

9 comments:

  1. Oh wow! What a spectacular bird, awesome photos!

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  2. Another stunning bird in a different way to the Starlings. You obviously had great views even if only on that one day.

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  3. Superb captures of an amazing bird, David. Sounds as if you could write an illustrated book about just one trip!

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  4. Beautiful bird, photos are the best David.

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  5. What a beautiful bird and what have you that beautifully photographed.
    Greetings Tinie

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  6. Beautiful bird, David
    Beautiful species that is not in the Netherlands.

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  7. We have not seen so far any species of hornbill in the wild :(... only in a zoo and nature films. This is a wonderful species!
    Greetings!

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  8. A beautiful bird and what a powerful beak!
    This is quite beautiful to see with your own eyes
    Just super!

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