Demoiselle Crane Preening by Lee at LPZoo
Dan and I were able to get in a small visit to the Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa a few days ago. Our goal was to go to the Sulawesi, Free-Flight and the Lorikeet Landing Aviaries. Most of the birds we saw were busy preening that day. Probably the most feather fluffing seen by so many birds on the same day, by us at least. It was difficult to get a good photo of them.
Bornean Orangutan at LPZoo 3-8-12
Never the less, it is always enjoyable to watch and observe their behaviors. Actually there were a couple of Bornean Orangutans displaying a behavior of covering their heads with cloths that can be quite funny. In the past, we have also seen them use cardboard as coverings.
Bornean Orangutan at LPZoo 3-8-12
Back to birdwatching. One of the highlights was getting to see the juvenile Sulawesi Hornbill maturing. The beak colors have not started developing yet.
Sulawesi Hornbill (Penelopides exarhatus) LPZoo 3-8-12
“As this youngster ages the colors of the adult will become more pronounced. The Sulawesi Hornbill (Penelopides exarhatus), also known as the Sulawesi Tarictic Hornbill, Temminck’s Hornbill or Sulawesi Dwarf Hornbill, is a relatively small, approximately 45 cm (17.7 in) long, black hornbill. The male has a yellow face and throat, and black-marked yellowish-horn bill. The female has an all black plumage and a darker bill.
An Indonesian endemic, the Sulawesi Hornbill is distributed in the tropical lowland, swamps and primary forests of Sulawesi and nearby islands, from sea-level to altitude up to 1,100 metres. There are two subspecies of the Sulawesi Hornbill.
The Sulawesi Hornbill is a social species that lives in groups of up to 20 individuals. It is believed that only the dominant pair breeds, while the remaining members of the group act as helpers. The diet consists mainly of fruits, figs and insects. The female seals itself inside a tree hole for egg-laying. During this time, the male and helpers will provide food for the female and the young.” (Wikipedia)
Here is the adult male that was standing nearby the two youngsters.
Sulawesi Hornbill (Penelopides exarhatus)LPZoo by Lee
Below are some of the photos taken on this trip to the Zoo. It was another enjoyable day to observe the Lord’s creation up close.
The works of the LORD are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein. (Psalms 111:2 KJV)
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Lee's Birdwatching Adventures Plus 