Hi ,
This is Carlotta. No, she is not a Thanksgiving turkey, although she's just a little smaller than one! She is all dressed up for the big holiday. She has just been to the beauty parlor and had her face painted. She has taken special care to have her eyelashes perfectly arranged so that she can be as attractive as she can be.
Actually, this is a ground hornbill, found mainly in southern Africa. They are an endangered species. The birds also have one of the longest life-spans among birds - up to 70 years! Within a group, only one pair breeds, while all of the others help to rear the young. At least 2 eggs are laid, but since each egg is laid days apart from the next, the first chick that
hatches will usually get all the food, so the others will die. Therefore, when you see a mother with a young one, there is only ever just that one. Below, the one with the grey face is a young one. The young makes a constant begging sound as it stays near its mother. When we've watched them, we have always wondered how the mother stays so patient with the never-ending sound!
These are the "turkeys of the African bush". Not to be eaten, though!
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
