“Alright little ones, it’s time for life lessons 101”

A class for little Sri Lankan Grey Hornbills begins

“Now, who can tell me the difference between male and female Hornbills? Yes Tommy? You need to poo? Alright you’re excused. Anyone else? Well, young Hornbills like you, all look the same with cream-coloured bills. But as you grow older, boys will stay the same but the bill on all you girls will turn black and leave just a cream stripe. Isn’t that cool? Now, to get big and strong you must remember to eat your figs, berries and fruits. But don’t forget to add in some insects, rodents and little reptiles too. A varied diet is important to us because… anyone? We’re omnivores, thank you for that Nora.”

Fun Facts

“Isn’t it wonderful to be a bird that’s not on the endangered list? Well, that’s mostly due to how resilient and how careful we Hornbills are. This is why you don’t need to follow Rodney’s classes on survival techniques, just stick to the tried and true Hornbill way of life. When building a nest, girls you must remember to find a tree hole that’s comfortable to stay in with room for 4 eggs and yourself. Boys, you have to seal off that hole with a cement made of mud, fruit pulp and your own droppings… Tommy you should have no problem with that… oh and don’t forget to leave a small hole so that you can pass food to your lovely mate and your babies when they are born. Well that’s it for today, go have fun and we’ll continue tomorrow!”

Story of the Photo

The Sri Lankan Grey Hornbill can often be seen around the Mahoora Tented Safari Camps thanks to the undisturbed environment there. They are easily startled, just like this one was when Dilum captured this image in Udawalawe National Park, so do try to stay quiet as you take a closer look.

Our Photographer :

Dilum Madushanka (@safari_sailor) is a Marine engineer by profession and his motto is “Six months in the Sea and Six months in the Jungle”. He is a nature enthusiast, with an uncanny ability to capture the best moments in the wild. His passion is to raise awareness about the fascinating great outdoors, through his photography and videography.