Yellow-billed Hornbills are a common sight across the dry, open Acacia savannas of southern Africa. They are highly distinctive birds with their yellow, banana shaped bills and black and white plumage. Usually found in pairs or small family groups, Yellow-billed Hornbills spend much of their time on the ground, running about in a comical fashion, flicking through elephant dung in search of tasty morsels or digging in the sand for scorpions and centipedes. In the early morning they perch on prominent branches, basking and preening in the sunlight. Later in the day they will often seek out favourable spots for a dust bath. Like many other species of Hornbill, the nest is a cavity in a tree trunk, lined with dry foliage and bark flakes. Once eggs have been laid, the female closes the entrance to the cavity, sealing herself into the chamber and leaving only a narrow slit through which the male will feed her and later the chicks. This unusual approach to breeding helps keep the female and chicks safe from predators such as snakes and birds of prey.

Acknowledgements to Harald Leber for the reference photograph.

Signed Limited Edition Print on 300 GSM Fine Art Cotton Paper from an original watercolour painting. This print is delivered rolled into a tube, ready for framing. Free worldwide shipping.

Limited Edition of 25 Fine Art Prints.

Size: 420mm x 300mm