Friday 5 August 2011

White-crested Hornbill

Image via Wikipedia
The White-crested Hornbill is a hornbill that can be found throughout Central and West Africa.

It likes to catch insects to eat, but it also takes slugs, lizards and sometimes fruit. It prefers meat and insects, though.

There's not much information available about this hornbill. Actually, there's virtually nothing at all.

At least we can see that it's almost entirely black, with an extremely long tail. Each tail feather tipped with white.

It has a large, dark beak, and the casque that runs along the top is streamlined and flush with the rest of the bill. The bill is altogether much less gaudy than that of many other hornbills.

However, between the beak and the body is a shock, a SHOCK of white plumage.

Image via Wikipedia

Each feather is carefully tipped with black, sort of like those incredibly fancy nails people get done. I say people. Usually women. Usually.

Image via Wikipedia

The overall effect is eye-catching without the use of loads of different colours.

Image via Wikipedia

Did you know that the name Barry comes from the Irish for "whitehead"?


I wonder what it's thinking?

5 comments:

Crunchy said...

There's something a little bit off about that last picture. I'm pretty sure Einstein wasn't a White-Crested Hornbill.

He was a Silvery Hornbill. :D

Emily said...

What a cute bird!

Joseph JG said...

@Crunchy: Hehe! Maybe in life, not so much in black and white photos :P

@TexWisGirl: Glad you enjoyed it!

@Emily: Cute? Wow! And the swimming Sea Cucumber was beautiful. Your appreciation of the monstrous is a wonder to behold!

Drhoz said...

I think these were the ones that Gerald Durrell was trying to raise nestlings of, when he was still under the impression all hornbills were frugivores.

Happily, after several fruitless (haha) days, he resorted to checking the books.

Joseph JG said...

Ha! There you go, you see. Always do your research first!