Greeting a new day

[Rassie]

On a morning drive on safari in 2016 we came upon a flock of Yellow-billed Hornbills. This was shortly after sunrise. They were all sitting in a tree when this one - possibly the leader - spread its wings and started bowing down repeatedly, almost like a religious ceremony. The rest of the flock then followed, all of them bowing down and up, down and up. This carried on for maybe 15-20 seconds, then they all settled down again. It was almost like they were all paying homage to another day in paradise. I was so mesmerized by this scene that I never thought of zooming out and getting a group shot of this behaviour.

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[Mark Garfinkel]

Cool photo and experience

 

[Doc Murdock]

Very nice photo and description of an unusual behavior. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Rassie]

Cool photo and experience

Thanks, Mark.

Very nice photo and description of an unusual behavior. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks, Doc.

 

[Irap]

Amazing bird, great shot Koos!

 

[Rassie]

Amazing bird, great shot Koos!

Thanks, Ira. I just love these guys. I've never seen them excitable, they always seem calm and peaceful. They sometimes come into camp and beg for scraps of food. And the sound they make is quite distinctive. See

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And these guys are doing what I observed at the time, except in my case it was the entire group of perhaps 10 or more birds doing it together.

 

[Louis champan]

One wicked looking bird, nicely captured.

 

[ChrisSinSeattle]

Koos,
Interesting looking character and what you experienced must have been site.
Chris S.