It doesn’t matter whether you wear clothes or feathers, no one can resist a picnic!
Marilize and Joubert had a family of yellow-billed hornbills join them for a picnic at Afsaal, in the Kruger National Park.
“Treat” is the theme for this week’s WordPress Photo Challenge.
DeWetsWild 
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How cool – as long as they keep their distance with those wicked looking beaks!!
They do look quite intimidating, and they have the confidence to back it up!
So funny with the bird in the fry pan! What a great image.That will leave me smiling all day. 🙂
Thanks very much Sue, your kind comment has the same effect for me 😉
What a lovely thing to say. 🙂 You are most welcome!
I’ve just stumbled upon your blog through the weekly photo challenge. Beautiful blog you’ve got with amazing photos, I’ll be following you guys from now on. Great photo as well for this week’s challenge. Cheers!
So nice to meet you, Zsuzsi! Welcome here, you can visit anytime!
wow…like magpies er pidgeons in do ol usa here.but i think they are way kewler lewkin! 😎
Thanks Q!
Gorgeous birds. But I have to ask, is that bill that large for a special reason? Is it something that is unique to this bird for feeding or just how they have evolved? Thanks for the pictures. most educational.
Thanks Dan. I suppose their bills are as large and hard as it is due to their diet, which includes hard-shelled insects, fruits and nuts, and to be used as a tool in searching for food and in nesting. We’re preparing a special post about our South African hornbills for this Friday, hopefully you’ll find it as interesting.
Mooi man – te oulik! Lyk na ‘n lekker plek om te piekniek.
Afsaal is n gerieflike plekkie om te stop en bene te rek op die pad tussen Skukuza en Malelane, Spokie. Maar miskien bietjie te besig met mense vir party se smaak.
Did they invade your table? They seem to share an attitude with our local seagulls…
You are lucky if they wait for you to finish, normally they’d “join” you at the table!
We know a certain parrot who does exactly that!
Ma, ma… kom kyk!
Wat is dit my kind!
Kom kyk… hiers pan voëls in die park!!
Hierdie voels se kattekwaad kanmens ure vermaak!
Cool captures! 🙂
Thanks Moon!
Thank you for sharing this beautiful picnic. A great treat!
We’re so glad you could join us, Litadoolan! Welcome here!
Did anyone tell them that sitting in the frying pan might not be the best idea they ever had? Not to mention the one on the burner! “Out of the frying pan and into the fire.”
Reminds me of Zazu and the hyenas from a scene in the Lion King!
i’ve never see these birds before.
They are quite common in most of our northern game reserve areas – perhaps I should dedicate a post to our hornbills!
That would be nice.
I wouldn’t mind sharing a picnic with them!
We don’t either, Montucky. It’s strictly against Park policy to feed them, but they’ve become so adept at raiding picnic tables that they don’t need any help from us…
Hmmm … I wonder how fried hornbill tastes? They seem to be daring one to find out!
Probably like chicken-and-banana 😉
Looks like everyone was enjoying the picnic, with enough left over to share with unexpected guests. I’ve never seen a yellow-billed hornbill before. The beak is almost bigger than the bird!
And theirs isn’t even the biggest of the hornbills! Thanks for visiting Mary!
So cute….even if they are a bit of a pest! 😀
They can be quite pesky, but truth be told it wouldn’t really be the same having a picnic in Kruger without them around.
Fantastic!
Thank you Sandra!
Lekker om hulle so van naby te kan bekyk.
Dis beslis die waarheid Dina! Hulle is eintlik mooi van die lelikgeid, en sulke slim ogies.
Oe en daai bekke fotografeer so mooi teen sonlig!
Such special visitors. 🙂
If a hornbill doesn’t want to share your picnic, now that would be the ultimate insult!
Yes, where there is a picnic….there is at least one bird!
It wouldn’t be a picnic if there wasn’t, hey Iris?
Elke voël wat so naby mense kan/wil leef is vir my spesiaal
Die neushoringvoels is uiterste opportuniste, en lekker astrant. Maar die Wildtuin se piekniekplekke sou nie dieselfde wees sonder hulle en die spreeus nie.
Ja dit maak ook mooi foto’s
Rude birds…there’s some in every crowd. Around here it’s the jays. While camping in the nearby mountains this summer we had to keep a close eye on our food. Turn your back for a moment and your sandwich is gone!
Luckily, like these hornbills, they’re all beautiful
We’re lucky to be able to have a picnic, or go camping, in their home, isn’t it Paula? I’m willing to loose a few sandwiches for that privilege!
You’re so right! Yes.
Wow I was just wondering what horn bills looked like. You must have read my mind. Thank you!!!
Carol in California USA
What a happy coincidence, Carol! Thanks for coming on our picnic with us, and welcome here!
WordPress gives us a chance to picnic with folks all around the world. Happy to meet you:D
Great!! 😀
Best regards, Dina
Thanks again, Dina!
How cute!
janet
A lot cuter when they stay at arms length, Janet! They can be very persistent 😉
I was going to add that, but hit “Send” too soon. 🙂
Those yellow billed hornbills look like they are enjoying their picnic treats…
And they won’t mind sharing from your basket either, Jim!