Willem noticed several southern yellow-billed hornbills foraging on the ground near a waterhole. This one was completely absorbed in eating termites, gradually working its way to within six metres of Willem in his car. ‘I managed to get just three shots before the bird moved away again,’ he says.
Hornbills use their massive beaks like forceps to pick up delicacies from the ground, including ants, beetles, grasshoppers and even scorpions. The bird’s tongue is too short to reach the food, so they flick it up in the air, catch it and swallow it in one fluid movement.
South Africa
Willem is a medical doctor. When not training medical students, he enjoys travelling to various nature reserves in Africa to photograph nature, especially birds. He started taking photos in 2011, mainly to share a hobby with his wife, but spending time in nature has always been a passion for him. He loves that there is always something unexpected to see and experience.
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