In Touch With Nature – Southern yellow billed hornbill #nature #wildlife #birds
Posted: June 24, 2025 Filed under: Uncategorized 53 Comments
During a recent trip to Pilanesberg Game Reserve, I was lucky enough to have a great sighting of a Southern yellow billed hornbill.
Southern yellow billed hornbill
A good-looking chap, I have a long yellow
and downward curved beak. My beak is huge
in comparison with my body. At approximately
90 millimetres long, it accounts for up to
one sixth of my body length. I have a casque,
like all my fellow hornbills, but mine is small.
My beak is so big, it intrudes on my frontal
vision and my first two neck vertebrae are
fused together. I have a long tail, long eyelashes,
and stubby legs and toes. My front three toes
are fused together near the base. My eyes are
usually a lovely yellow surrounded by pink skin.
***
My meals are interesting and varied. I like to enjoy
a selection of termites, beetles, larvae, grasshoppers,
and caterpillars. Delicious! A dessert of berries, fruits,
nuts, and other birds’ eggs is always welcome.
If possible, I supplement my diet with small mammals.
Mealtimes are when my useful beak comes into play.
I use it like a pair of forceps, grasping my food between
its tips and tossing it back into my throat. My stubby
tongue helps me to swallow my food efficiently.
***
I am a loner, preferring my own company,
except during breeding season. At that time,
you will find me in a couple or small group.
Once I have mated, I am loyal to my partner,
staying with her and establishing a territory,
which I defend. We build our home together –
a nest in a natural cavity in a tree, cliff or
earth bank, between one and twelve metres
above the ground. I bring bark, leaves, and grass
to make a lining for our home. My wife seals
herself inside the nest, blocking the entry with
a wall made from her droppings and remains
of meals. I help by bringing mud for her to
build with. When she is finished, only a vertical
slit remains, running from the top to the bottom.
My family rely on me to feed them. I pass food
through this slit with my large beak. The nest
has good air circulation through convection.
My wife keeps it clean by forcibly expelling her
own and our babies’ droppings through the slit.
My babies, numbering between two and six,
are born naked, with beautiful pink skins. We
do our best to feed them and keep them safe.
In the event of an attack by a predator, my wife
and children make use of the long escape tunnel
built into the nest, to escape. Once our children
are half-grown, my wife breaks out of the nest.
She helps me feed them. The babies are clever,
rebuilding the wall on their own. My wife and I
continue to feed them through the slit until
they are grown. Then they break out and fly
away. Ready to take on the world on their own.
A few more photographs of the Southern yellow billed hornbill we saw.
A short Youtube video (not mine) of the call of the Southern yellow billed hornbill:
About Roberta Eaton Cheadle
Roberta Eaton Cheadle, is a South African writer and poet specialising in historical, paranormal, and horror novels and short stories. She is an avid reader in these genres and her writing has been influenced by famous authors including Bram Stoker, Edgar Allan Poe, Amor Towles, Stephen Crane, Enrich Maria Remarque, George Orwell, Stephen King, and Colleen McCullough.
Roberta has two published novels and a collection of short stories and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories included in several anthologies. She is also a contributor to the Ask the Authors 2022 (WordCrafter Writing Reference series).
Roberta is also the author and illustrator of seventeen children’s books, illustrator to a further three children’s books, and the author and illustrator of four poetry books published under the name of Robbie Cheadle, and has poems and short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.
Roberta’s blog features discussions about classic books, book reviews, poetry, and photography. https://roberta-writes.com/.
Find Roberta Eaton Cheadle
Blog: https://wordpress.com/view/robertawrites235681907.wordpress.com
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/robbiecheadle.bsky.social
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robertawrites
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Roberta-Eaton-Cheadle/e/B08RSNJQZ5
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This segment of “In Touch with Nature” is sponsored by the Midnight Anthology Series and WordCrafter Press.
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An amazing creature!
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Thank you, Darlene. I do like birds.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I know you do. I saw a hoopoe in the park the other day and thought of you. 🐦⬛🦜
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💙
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What a fascinating creature Robbie.
Thank you for sharing.
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Hi Maggie, thank you for your lovely comment 💖
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Hi Robbie
My pleasure 💖
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🩷
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Vey interesting info and fantastic photos, Robbie!
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Thank you, Dave. I thought this was an interesting bird.
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So interesting, Robbie. What a creative nest!
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Birds are incredible creatures. I never cease to be amazed by them.
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This bird is unfamiliar to me. Your poem brings it to life, Robbie. I love the photo where it’s looking into the sun.
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Thank you, Kay. I like that one too 💕
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I love birds, too, Robbie. This hornbill is a stunning creature. I enjoyed your poem. 💜
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Thank you, Colleen 🌞
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What sophisticated nest builders. I always feel sorry for solitary birds, but I guess after the intense period of raising a family they are glad of some Me Time.
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That is a great way of putting it, Janet 😁
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[…] In Touch With Nature – Southern yellow billed hornbill #nature #wildlife #birds […]
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I absolutely love your wildlife posts, poetry and photos. They get right to the personality of every single animal. Brilliantly done!
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Thank you, Donna. Animals do reveal their personalities 🤗
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[…] https://writingtoberead.com/2025/06/24/in-touch-with-nature-southern-yellow-billed-hornbill-nature-w… […]
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The hornbills have such a distinctive horn-bill. Lol. One of the few birds that I can easily identify in your photos. What interesting birds. I enjoyed the poem and learning about their habits. Thanks for sharing your knowledge, Robbie, and thanks, Kaye Lynne, for hosting.
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😊💜
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HI Diana, I am always delighted when you enjoy a nature post. Thank you and have a lovely weekend.
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You too!
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🌈
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Wonderful! Those birds are fantastic!
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Thank you, Tim
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Another interesting bird. Great photos and thanks (as always) for the information. (K)
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Thank you, Kerfe. The nest building is very unusual for these birds.
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I particularly enjoyed all the detail about the yellow-billed hornbill’s nesting behavior.
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Hi Liz, it’s nest building strategy is very unusual. I found it interesting too.
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My goodness, this bird (and family) is fascinating.
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Thank you, Jennie. Animals never cease to amaze me.
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You’re welcome, Robbie. I feel the same way.
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💜
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Cool sighting. I like him.
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Thanks, he’s very cool.
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Hornbills inspired the anvil bird from my Lanternfish tales.
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What an incredible and insightful look into the life of the yellow billed hornbill. So intelligent! Thanks for sharing, Robbie!
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I’m delighted you enjoyed this post, Jan.
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Fascinating bird Robbie, love the photos, so sharp, and the descriptive verse.
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I’m glad you enjoyed this post, Paul
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❤️
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Wow!
This is so interesting. The whole thing about the slit in the nest is cool.
The main dinners sound awful, but desserts are yummy, until the eggs get involved.
All in all, you are a fabulous bird, Mr. & Mrs. Hornbill and family.
Thanks Robbie, your prose is the best teacher, ever!
Thanks for hosting Kaye Lynne!
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😊💜
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Hi Resa, I’m delighted you enjoyed this poetic nature lesson. I think hornbills are fascinating 💛
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What an amazing bird! That whole thing with the tunnels is fascinating!
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I love this educational post for several reasons, not the least of which it now that I know so much about these birds, I cannot help but love them1 Thank you, Robbie!
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Hi Robbie – birds are amazing creatures and I love learning about how they protect themselves (and their little ones) against predators. I’ve never heard of the vertical slit in a nest before. And how cool that they build an escape tunnel. Thanks for sharing this!
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Now THAT is a bird! Until you get to that gigantic beak, his black & white pattern looks remarkably like our woodpeckers, all of whom have that same black and white barred back — except for the Pileated Woodpecker. But all the other in this region, including flickers, downies, red bellies, hairies — ALL have that same pattern. It makes me wonder if there isn’t some relationship though even for a woodpecker, THAT is a serious beak! He can come and eat our bugs. We have plenty of them to share.
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I wouldn’t mess with him!
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