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Wrinkled Hornbill


Wrinkled Hornbill
Photo Information
Copyright: Peter van Zoest (PeterZ) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5137 W: 166 N: 13121] (49139)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2010-08-24
Categories: Birds
Camera: Nikon D300, AF Nikkor 70-300mm f4-5.6 G, Digital JPEG
Exposure: f/6.3, 1/160 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Goldys' Personal Favorites, A painter's dream [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2010-10-02 7:17
Viewed: 5509
Points: 92
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Scientific name: Aceros corrugatus
Family: Bucerotidae
Order: Coraciiformes
Class: Aves

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:
Wrinkled hornbills are medium-sized birds about 65-75 cm in height. They have black plumage and a white or yellow stained tail with a black base. Their wings have ten rounded primaries that allow air to go through creating a loud whooshing sound that some say sounds like a train or a storm. Males have yellow feathering on their inflatable throats, chests, and face. Blue skin covers the eye area. Females do not have yellow coloring on their chest or face, but they have blue skin that covers the face and throat area. Their bills are very large and yellow with a casque that looks like an extra beak. The casque is curved with ridges and sits on top the bill. A males casque is usually red or orange in color and females have a slightly smaller, yellow casque. Hornbills get their name from this unique bill. The bill is used to grasp and toss insects and fruits in the air to eat. Other uses for the bill include helping to build and maintain the nest, aiding in defense against poisonous snakes and other predators, sound reception, and it can be used to determine their age. The bill is very powerful because it is fused to the cranium, which in turn articulates with the fused upper vertebrae. This creates a pickax-like beak that is very useful for the young to peck out of the nest.

DISTRIBUTION and HABITAT:
Hornbills are usually found in the evergreen forests of the lowlands, up to an altitude of 1000 meters. They can be found in Thailand, Malaysia, and Borneo. The distribution of hornbills can be correlated with the characteristics of the forests such as large trees with natural tree cavities used for nesting and fig-tree density for food. For that reason, hornbills are more likely to be found in unlogged forests.

BEHAVIOR:
The monogamous Wrinkled Hornbills are usually found in pairs or in small groups. They are not aggressive and are sometimes clumsy in flight. They have deep echoing calls that sound like harsh kak-kak or deep rowwow or wakowwakowkow and calls can be heard from miles away. They have a life long relationship like married couples and usually breed during rainy seasons when moist soil is available to build nest walls. They do not have the typical bird nesting behavior. Instead of building nests out of twigs, they find a tree hole. The hole is constructed by a woodpecker pecking a hole in the tree. Eventually fungus will grow and enlarge the hole. Bees are attracted to the hole and use the hole to make honey. The honey attract a bear that uses his claws to dig out the honey, further enlarging the hole, making it a perfect nesting site for the wrinkled hornbill. After finding a good nest hole, the female will do most of the nest building by blocking the entry of a tree cavity with a plaster made with mud, droppings, and regurgitated food. The male will bring all the materials needed and finish the outer wall where the female can no longer reach. The main purpose of this wall is to protect the eggs from predators such as monkeys, and snakes. A small hole is left so the male can feed his family, and the female stays locked in the nest with the eggs during incubation period. The incubation period is usually 28-30 days. After a few months the female will break out of the nest, and the chicks will rebuild the wall and continue to be fed by the male until they are ready to leave the nest.

DIET:
Hornbills eat mostly fruits with numerous small fine seeds such as figs, and small animals such as frogs, lizards, snails, arthropods and young birds. During the nesting period, the male will regurgitate up to 150 figs to feed to his family. These birds do not rely on drinking water because they get water from their food. If the male brings the same food, the female will throw the food back suggesting that he find something else. If the male were never to return, his mate and chicks would starve to death.

REPRODUCTION and GROWTH:
Breeding is usually during the rainy season of December and January. Nest holes are usually located 40-50 meters above ground. After a pre-laying period of 4-6 days, the female will lay an average of two eggs. She can lay extra eggs if the eggs are lost. After a month of incubation, the chicks will hatch. They have pink skin that will turn purple in about 10 days. This is when the female breaks out of the nest, and the male continues to feed the chicks. The chicks will mature and leave the nest after another 65-73 days. The whole nesting cycle takes about four months.

CONSERVATION STATUS:
Wrinkled Hornbills are common in North Sarawak, Brunei, and South Sumatra, but are rare in Peninsular Malaysia. In Thailand, they are considered an endangered species. Their near extinct status is from the widespread destruction of the rain forest, the lack of suitable breeding sites, and from being hunted. In Northern Borneo hornbills are hunted for their tail feathers that are used to make traditional costumes for ceremonies. Villagers will pay a high price for a baby hornbill and this trade contributes to the continued decrease of these birds. There are organizations that have adoption projects to protect these birds from being hunted. Wrinkled Hornbills have the largest number of individuals in captivity for the hornbill family, as listed in the North American regional studbook.

Source: www.honoluluzoo.org
marhowie, Argus, siggi, yasemin, Luis52, bahadir, lousat, eng55, boreocypriensis, eqshannon, Josien, rousettus, goldyrs, caspian, Dis. Ac., nglen, vanda, anel, cirano, marius-secan, rommel, anemone, Noisette, Adanac, peter_stoeckl, Miss_Piggy, Mikolaj, CeltickRanger has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
PauwenfotoJosien 1 10-02 14:09
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Critiques [Translate]

Very cool bird Peter, wild colors.
Looks great with the blurred BG, the eye is clear & sharp..
Nice lashes too ;-}
Well done & have a great weekend!

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5038 W: 260 N: 15594] (50626)
  • [2010-10-02 7:31]

Hello Peter,
Fine portrait taken with excellent sharpness and saturated colours, the eye contact of this Wrinkled Hornbill being a fine focal point of this spectacular image.
Nice composition and BG too.
Thanks and enjoy the rest of your weekend,
Ivan

Nice and colourful portrait of this Wrinkled Hornbill. And lovely that you add so much information about the species. Sharp and nice focus.
Enjoy your weekend.
Kind regards,
Josien

Ciao Peter, amazing portrait with fantastic colors, splendid sharpness, fine details and wonderful blurry BG, very well done my friend, have a good week end, ciao Silvio

  • Great 
  • siggi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3097 W: 109 N: 12399] (52850)
  • [2010-10-02 7:51]

Hello Peter.
This is stunning. Love the colours. Very nicely composed. Good catchlight in the eye. Perfect BG. Nice camera work.Best regards Siggi

Incredible colors detail and sharpness Peter! Bravo!
Regards,
George Veltchev

Hi Peter..Excellent catch..Great details and notes...The huge head shape and long eyelashes are lovely...TFS.
Regards
Leyla

hallo Peter
wat een mooie gekleurde kop ,zeer scherp je zie zijn wimpers zelfs
mooie pose met veel details en goed licht
super shot Peter
groetjes lou

  • Great 
  • Luis52 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1175 W: 8 N: 4240] (15809)
  • [2010-10-02 8:27]

Hola Peter.
What a nice looking guy.
Beautiful photo, Beautiful colors.
Have a nice WE.
Luis52.

Ciao Peter. The perfect fopcus for thi magnificent bird with brigh colours. Perfect light and so good DOF.

Roberto

Hello Peter, excellent poortrait shot of this lovely hornbill with nice composition and details.
TFS and regards,
Bahadır

Buen encuadre y pose. Impresionante combinación de bellos y llamativos colores.
Una foto que no pasa desapercibida :-)
Saludos Peter: Josep Ignasi.

  • Great 
  • lousat Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 6595 W: 89 N: 15659] (65489)
  • [2010-10-02 9:52]

Hi Peter,spectaculat portrait,the colors are fanastics...the best way to show us this beauty of nature...very well done! Thanks for share,have a nice Sunday,Luciano

Hello Peter,
Great portrait with very beautiful colours and details. Well done!
Regards,
Mircea

Dear Peter,

A great photo - the eyes make me think of the movie ""Irma la douce"" and Amsterdam's special district at night/Ladies...:-))

This Bird Park appears to look well after the animals!! The feathers are in perfect shape i.e. not at all plucked, and your PERFECT image should be in their brochure!

Thank you for showing this exceptional photo on TrekNature.

Have a nice evening and a good Sunday
Warm Greetings
Ingrid

  • Great 
  • eng55 Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1256 W: 42 N: 1976] (5892)
  • [2010-10-02 11:24]

Hi Peter,
Very nice capture.I kliked POV,vivid colors,contrast,POV and pose of bird a lot.Excelent work!Thanks for sharing..

A real beauty MF Peter! Realy i loved the expression on face this pretty hornbill! Nicely composed and spotted.
TFS and have a nice night/Sunday!
Cheers,

Bayram

If nothing else..it is one of the most colourful head portraits I have ever seen on a bird. Must have made the cameras electronics have a fit....but it worked. I really appreciate Nikons quality. It is less pricey than Canon and comes real close to replicating quality with the right lens. Good image!
Bob

Hola Peter

Que ave más bonita, con esos colores tan llamativos y ese pico que parece que tenga dientes. Una imagen de primer plano perfecta. Buen POV.

Un saludo de Antonio

excellent beauty, marvellous colored plumage and beak. great close up shot, Peter. sharp details and coloration wonderful as like light using and composition. thanks for sharing this beauty. best wishes and have a good night
Ahmet

Peter,
A nice long note and a perfectly coloured shot to go with it!
Bravo!
Goldy

Hello Peter,

Resembles a kind of very beautiful with the colors of the rainbow.
Chief details very great
Light, sharpness settings are also technically very successful.
Thank you for sharing.

Regards,
Mehmet

Hallo Peter,

wat een mooie foto van deze Neushoornvogel.
Mooi geisoleerd van de achtergrond met super scherpte en prachtige kleuren.

Gert

Hi Peter,
A lovely capture of this beautiful Wrinkled Hornbill. Very nice portrait. Good sharp details and a nice composition. Thanks a lot for sharing.

What a beautiful bird! Our hornbills are not nearly as colorful. Your picture is sharp and the colours are true, well done

  • Great 
  • Nilson Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 488 W: 0 N: 566] (4423)
  • [2010-10-03 11:21]

Ola Peter exelente imagem com exelente nitidez e cores espetacular muito bom.
Nilson

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2883 W: 30 N: 9683] (36145)
  • [2010-10-03 11:33]

Hi Peter. A bird with many colours. with the large eye and huge bill. It makes me wonder why nature has made it this way. You have been able to get a good side view which shows fine detail in the colourful feathers. All with interesting notes. TFS,
Nick..

  • Great 
  • vanda Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 338 W: 25 N: 754] (3673)
  • [2010-10-03 13:08]

Woww...Peter, what a great close-up!
Great focus and fine details of this splendid bird. Fantastic vivid colours and very good blurred BG.
Congratulations my friend.
ciao! Vanda

  • Great 
  • foozi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 2791 W: 0 N: 6696] (25839)
  • [2010-10-03 18:17]

Hello Peter,
such an excellent sharpness. The colours of the bird is really exciting. You have presented it so well.
The blurry background renders a lively contrast.
Nice presentation of this beauty.

regards,
Foozi

  • Great 
  • manyee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3089 W: 230 N: 6774] (23770)
  • [2010-10-03 21:28]

Hi Peter,
Now that is a pretty face.
What beautiful colors on that beak,
and the blue mascara around the eye.
I love these hornbills.
Great shot with sharp details and good light.
TFS. : )

  • Great 
  • anel Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 3053 W: 3 N: 8715] (40574)
  • [2010-10-04 5:14]

Hello Peter,
A striking bird-portrait again!! These hornbills are really something special! I love the way you present this shot, the bird really looks outside the picture and observes us..
Well seen
Kind regards
Anne

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3396 W: 172 N: 3310] (10940)
  • [2010-10-04 5:32]

Hello Peter,
A most impressive portrait of the Wrinkled Hornbill! Great sharpness and beautiful colours!
TFS and cheers, Ulla

  • Great 
  • cirano Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 997 W: 0 N: 944] (13609)
  • [2010-10-04 12:41]

Hello Peter,
This is excellent capture with great colors and perfect sharp details.TFS.
regards,
Dűrzan

Hello Peter,
Amazing portrait with excellent details and lovely colours.
Perfect focus and outstanding POV.
Marius.

Hi Peter,
Splended colours well captured with pinsharpness on the head and beak, interesting and colourful image.
erwin...

Hello Peter,
I missed this! ... Congratulations ! Wow, that textures! ... What colors! ... what bird! ... what cut! ... Amply perfect photo!
TFS
Regards
Jesús

Hi Peter. An incredible photo of a cute bird.
Excellent shapness and good composition. TFS.
Best Regards
Özgür

Hello Peter
superb portrait of this colorful bird with a beautiful bill, excellent focus on his eye, the subject stand out very b-nicely against the totaly blurred BG
Thanks a lot and have a great Sunday
Jacqueline

  • Great 
  • Adanac Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1273 W: 1 N: 6188] (21378)
  • [2010-10-10 10:07]

Hello Peter,
What a splash of amazing colours in this outstanding close up portrait. Razor sharp focus yields great details especially around that beautiful eye. Outstanding work Peter.
Rick

Hi Peter,
spectacular shapes and colours, and a perfect focus on the eye - I love the elabourate white eyelashes, quite an uncommon feature with birds. Thank you!
With best regards,
Peter

Hallo Peter
We have returned from a lovely holiday in the Kruger after 3 weeks and I missed out on such a lot of great images in this time. As you know by now our 1st grandchild has also been born and Trek Nature had to wait for both Loot and me to get over our excitement.

Now this is what I call a stunning image, a stunning bird with stunning colours, beautifully portrayed in a stunning portrait. The variation of colours is sheer delight to look at and I am sure any painter would love to paint such a colourful bird. I am sure you get my message that this is a stunning image. A very pleasant image. Best regards.
Anna

  • Great 
  • tcr Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 158 W: 8 N: 538] (3384)
  • [2010-10-27 19:37]

Hello.
Striking and colorful picture.
Fine details, fine colour and suitable composition.
Greetings.

My favorite of the large hornbill species and you captured it with exceptional quality, the colors really catch ones attention on this super shot. :)

Hi Peter,

Its an amazing close-up of the magnificent bird. I have never seen a bird like this.

Thank you for sharing.

Regards,
Vinay

Hello Peter! Amazing bird. Good note. Superb colourful work. Perfect contrast and sharpness. Good luck!

Hello Peter

Excellent portrait of this multicolored exotic bird,
fine POV, beautiful eye-contact, beautiful light, TFS

Asbed

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