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GROUND HORNBILL - close-up of eye ©Richard Steel Location: Ground-Hornbills are huge prehistoric appearing birds of open grasslands and savanna in sub-Saharan Africa - south of the Equator Status: Vulnerable in South Africa Facts:Hornbills are notable for their long eyelashes and rather stubby legs and toes, with broad soles and the bases of the three front toes partly fused. They walk instead of hop They lack a carotid artery (unique among all birds) They have 15 instead of 14 neck vertebrae (Kemp 1995) Folklore: The Masai believe that the African ground hornbill should never be killed because it will bring bad luck. If one lands on the roof of a house, the occupants must move at once or they believe death will ensue. Aside from many indigenous tribes in South Africa using the ground hornbill for “muti” (tribal medicine), there are others in Africa who believe that the African ground hornbill is a rain prophet. Source for facts: http://www.honoluluzoo.org/african_ground_hornbill.htm —- Shot of entire bird: http://www.naturephoto-cz.eu/ground-hornbill:bucorvus-leadbeateri-photo-1769.html

GROUND HORNBILL - close-up of eye

©Richard Steel

Location: Ground-Hornbills are huge prehistoric appearing birds of open grasslands and savanna in sub-Saharan Africa - south of the Equator

Status: Vulnerable in South Africa

Facts:
Hornbills are notable for their long eyelashes and rather stubby legs and toes, with broad soles and the bases of the three front toes partly fused.

They walk instead of hop

They lack a carotid artery (unique among all birds)

They have 15 instead of 14 neck vertebrae (Kemp 1995)

Folklore:

The Masai believe that the African ground hornbill should never be killed because it will bring bad luck. If one lands on the roof of a house, the occupants must move at once or they believe death will ensue.

Aside from many indigenous tribes in South Africa using the ground hornbill for “muti” (tribal medicine), there are others in Africa who believe that the African ground hornbill is a rain prophet.

Source for facts: http://www.honoluluzoo.org/african_ground_hornbill.htm

—-

Shot of entire bird: http://www.naturephoto-cz.eu/ground-hornbill:bucorvus-leadbeateri-photo-1769.html

Notes

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