#Tanzanian red-billed hornbill

[birdstudies]

November 1, 2023 - Tanzanian Red-billed Hornbill (Tockus ruahae) Found in Tanzania, these hornbills live in savannas and woodlands, especially those with baobabs and acacias. They feed on insects, including ants and beetle larvae, as well as seeds, and may also eat other arthropods, small vertebrates, and fruit, like closely related species. Their breeding behaviors have not been studied, though they likely nest in cavities.

[a-dinosaur-a-day]

[wingedjewels]

Tanzanian red-billed hornbill by ricardo00

[eriadav]

Combined Kilimanjaro Safari Experience and Meru Cultural Visit

Travel Company: DAV Safaris

Website: www.davsafaris.com

Email:info@davsafaris.com

Tel: +256757795781 or +256701412430

A combined Kilimanjaro safari experience and Meru cultural visit offers an unparalleled opportunity to explore the breathtaking landscapes and rich traditions of East Africa. This journey takes you through the iconic Kilimanjaro region, where nature thrives, and into the heart of Meru, home to vibrant cultures and traditions. This unique adventure combines wildlife viewing, stunning scenery, and immersive cultural experiences, creating unforgettable memories.

Kilimanjaro Safari Experience

Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest peak at 5,895 meters, is a symbol of adventure and beauty. Its snow-capped summit, Uhuru Peak, attracts trekkers from around the world. The diverse ecosystems on the mountain support a wide range of wildlife, including elephants, buffalo, and various bird species.

A typical Kilimanjaro safari begins at Machame Gate, where trekkers start their ascent through lush rainforests. The journey involves several camps, each offering unique views and experiences. As you ascend, you transition from tropical forests to alpine meadows, eventually reaching the barren landscape near the summit. Along the way, you may encounter wildlife like the blue monkey, black-and-white colobus, and various birds, enriching your safari experience.

Wildlife Viewing in Kilimanjaro National Park

Wildlife enthusiasts will find plenty to marvel at within Kilimanjaro National Park. The park is home to over 140 species of mammals, including elephants, bushbucks, and the elusive klipspringer. Birdwatchers can spot more than 180 species, such as the African crowned eagle and the Tanzanian red-billed hornbill. As you trek, look out for signs of wildlife, such as tracks and droppings, and listen for the calls of birds echoing through the trees.

Safari Activities

In addition to trekking, the region offers various safari activities. Guided nature walks allow visitors to explore the lower slopes of Kilimanjaro, where they can learn about the local flora and fauna. These excursions provide a more intimate wildlife viewing experience, as you can often spot smaller creatures and unique plant species that you might miss while trekking.

Meru Cultural Visit

After your Kilimanjaro adventure, head to the Meru region, known for its rich cultural heritage and stunning landscapes. The Meru people, an ethnic group residing on the eastern slopes of Mount Kenya, have a deep connection to their land and traditions. They are known for their vibrant customs, including traditional dance, music, and art.

Cultural Experiences

Visitors to the Meru region can engage in various cultural activities that offer insights into the local way of life. One popular experience is visiting a traditional Meru homestead, where you can interact with local families and learn about their daily routines. You might participate in cooking traditional dishes like ugali (a maize porridge) and sukuma wiki (collard greens), gaining firsthand experience of their culinary practices.

Another highlight is witnessing traditional dances, such as the Mugithi, performed during celebrations and ceremonies. These lively performances, accompanied by rhythmic drumming and singing, showcase the community's rich heritage and storytelling traditions.

Local Markets and Crafts

The Meru market is a vibrant hub of activity, where locals sell fresh produce, handmade crafts, and traditional attire. Exploring the market provides an opportunity to taste local fruits like mangue and avocado and purchase unique souvenirs, such as intricately woven baskets and beaded jewelry. Engaging with local artisans gives you a deeper appreciation for their skills and the cultural significance of their crafts.

Nature and Wildlife in Meru

The Meru region is not only culturally rich but also home to stunning natural landscapes. Meru National Park, located nearby, is a hidden gem offering a diverse range of wildlife. The park is known for its populations of elephants, lions, and the rare black rhino. With over 400 species of birds, including the striking African fish eagle, birdwatchers will find plenty to admire.

A guided game drive through Meru National Park allows you to immerse yourself in the sights and sounds of the African wilderness. The park's varied landscapes, from open plains to dense forests, provide a beautiful backdrop for wildlife viewing.

Combining Experiences

Combining a Kilimanjaro safari with a Meru cultural visit creates a well-rounded itinerary that showcases the best of both worlds. Begin your adventure with a trek up Kilimanjaro, taking in the stunning views and diverse wildlife along the way. After reaching the summit, descend and transition to the cultural richness of the Meru region.

Engaging with Locals

The experience of engaging with the Meru people after your Kilimanjaro trek adds depth to your journey. You’ll gain insight into their customs, traditions, and daily life, creating a more meaningful connection to the region. This interaction not only enriches your travel experience but also supports local communities through responsible tourism.

Lasting Memories

The combination of breathtaking landscapes, thrilling wildlife encounters, and rich cultural experiences ensures that your Kenya wildlife holiday will leave a lasting impression. Whether you’re standing atop Kilimanjaro, surrounded by stunning panoramas, or dancing with the Meru people under the stars, each moment contributes to an unforgettable adventure.

Book with DAV Safaris, contact

[birbpolls]

Cream-backed Woodpecker

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Tanzanian Red-billed Hornbill

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[ms2thdr]

Tanzanian Red-billed Hornbill (Color). These are usually social birds, although I only saw this one. They have interesting nesting behavior. When the female is ready to incubate the eggs she and the male seal her into the nest with the eggs by making a wall of mud, food remains and droppings, leaving only a small hole for the male to pass food to her, and eventually the chicks. When the chicks outgrow the sealed nest the female knocks the wall down, then she and the male build a new wall, not sealed off, and both parents feed the growing chicks . . . . . . #tanzania #tarangire #tarangirenationalpark #bird #birdsofinstagram #redbilledhornbill #africa #wild #wildlife #nature #wildlifephotography #thisiswhywildeye #wildeyesa #safari https://ift.tt/2HWOqDv

[raviee2]

The red-billed hornbills are a group of hornbills found in savanna and woodland of sub-Saharan Africa. Northern red-billed hornbill (T. kempi), Tanzanian red-billed hornbill (T. ruahae), Southern red-billed hornbill (T. rufirostris) ) And Damara red-billed hornbill (T. damarensis), but some authorities considered them all to be subspecies of a single species.

[lemburiskivuyo]

Ruaha National Park

Ruaha national park is one of the few Tanzania’s  famous wilderness area where one can have a rare experience of game viewing  spiced up by the fascinating landscape. The park is rich of plants and animals  such as Greater Kudu (Tragelaphus   strepsiceros) which can not be found in any other national park. The  park boasts of her almost untouched and unexplored ecosystem, making visitors’  safari experience very unique. The Great   Ruaha River  as other rivers like Mwagusi, Jongomero and Mzombe save as the life line of the  park. During dry season, these rivers become mostly the main source of water  for wildlife. There are few natural springs saving the same purpose. In the pick of dry season, elephants obtain water from dry  sand rivers using their front feet and trunks. The remaining water falls along the  Great Ruaha River  are also important habitat for hippopotamus, fish and crocodiles. Park History The park history dates back to 1910 when it was gazetted Saba  Game Reserve by the Germany then the name was changed by British to Rungwa Game  reseve in 1946. In 1964 the southern portion of the Game was gazetted as Ruaha  national park and in 1974 a small section of South Eastern part of the Great Ruaha   River was incorporated  into the park. The name “Ruaha” originates from the Hehe word “Ruvaha”, which  means “river”. Ruaha   National Park is part of  Rungwa-Kizigo –Muhesi ecosystem which covers more than 45000km2. In  2008 Usangu game Reserve and other important wetlands in Usangu basin have been  annexed into the park, making it the largest park in Tanzania  and East Africa with an area of about 20226km2. Historical and cultural  sites There are several historical and cultural sites in the park  which offer a visitor a chance to explore the Southern Tanzanian tribes. The  early trade routes used by the Arab caravan crossed here. In 1830 these coastal  traders expanded their routes northward, and in year 1857 to 1858 other  European explorers such as Burton  and Speke used these routes too. Chief Mkwawa used the same routes to visit his  chiefdom's in Sangu and Gogo. The park area often hailed as the land of the brave Chief  Mkwawa, the Chief of the hehe people who resisted against the German attack in  the late 19th century. The fierce and successful battle tactics  against the German invasion made the Hehe tribe famous in the Southern highland  of the then Tanganyika (Tanzania).  The Hehe tribe under the leadership of chief Mkwawa was dominant around the  Ruaha area. Some of the outcrops in the area are known as hiding places of  chief Mkwawa who went into hiding after the fall of his empire (kalenga) to the  German in 1894.       In brief, it is believed that, this ancient land (Ruaha National    Park) holds many secrets of chief Mkwawa. Some of the cultural sites that were used for rituals are “Ganga la Mafunyo”, Nyanywa and Chahe, Painting rock at  Nyanywa, the “Gogo”  chief “Mapenza”  grave at Mpululu and “Mkwawa” spring area believed to be used by Chief Mkwawa.  Other historical sites near the park include Isimila pillars near Iringa town,  Kalenga, Mlambalasi, Lugalo and God’s bridge just to mention a few. Climate Ruaha National Park has a bimodal pattern of rain forest;  the short rainfall season begins November to February, while the long season is  between March and April. The annual mean rainfall ranges between 500mm-800mm  with the average annual temperature of about 280c. The park  experiences its dry season between June and October when the temperature at  Msembe headquarter reaches 350c. Parks Significance Ruaha National Park has a high diversity of plants and  animals including elephants, buffalos, antelopes and some of rare and  endangered species like wild dogs. The park serves as water shade both for  wildlife and human being. This makes it to be economically significant as it  supports agricultural activities down stream and contributes to hydro- electric  power (HEP) for the country at Mtera and Kidatu dams. Tourism Attractions

Birds

The park is one of the Tanzania  birds’ paradise with more than 571species and some of them are known to be  migrants from within and outside Africa.  Migrating species from Europe, Asia, Australian rim and Madagascar have been recorded in  the park. Species of interest in the park include Ruaha red-billed hornbill  (Tokus ruahae) which is dominant in the area. The recently annexed wetland, the  Usangu basin is one of the country’s important bird area (IBA) as recognized by  Birdlife International. Though birds can be seen all the year around, the best  time for bird watching is during the wet season.

Animals

Ruaha is believed to have high concentration of elephants  than any national park in East Africa. It is  also a place where, magnificent mammals like Kudu (both Greater and Lesser), Sable  and Roan antelopes can easily be spotted in Miombo woodland. The male Kudu have  beautiful spiraled horns while male Sable antelope have impressive curved  horns. The park is also a habitat for endangered wild dogs. Other animals in  the park include lions, leopards, cheetah, giraffes, zebras, elands, impala,  bat eared foxes and Jackals.

Reptiles and Amphibians

Apart from large animals, the park also harbors a number of  reptiles and amphibians such as crocodiles, poisonous and non-poisonous snakes,  monitor lizards, agama lizards and frogs. The Great Ruaha and Mzombe rivers are  presumably the most preferred habitat for crocodiles.

Vegetation

The park is characterized by semi-arid type of vegetation,  baobab trees, Acacia and other species. There are over 1650 plant species that  have been identified. The park is the transitional point of two vegetation�� zones, the Zambezian (characterized by Miombo vegetation) and Sudanian  (characterized by Acacia vegetation). Physical feature Ruaha National   Park has a wide range of physical features from the Great Rift Valley, river systems, natural springs,  wetlands, hot water springs, and kopjes to the beautiful rolling hills and  mountains. Rivers The river systems and watershed are of economical, social and  ecological significance for the park itself and country at large. Main rivers  include the Great Ruaha, Mzombe, Mdonya, Mwagusi and Jongomero. Rift valley The Great Rift Valley  crosses the park. The escarpment wall along the western valley side is about  50-100m high in the north-eastern parts, increasing in height to the southwest.  It is considered that, the valley of the Great  Ruaha River  is an extension of the Great Rift Valley. The Great Ruaha   River flows for 160km  long along the entire eastern boundary through rugged gorges and open plains. Natural springs They occur throughout the park and they are associated with  the base of the Western Rift Valley escarpment, most notably Mkwawa, Mwayembe,  Makinde and Majimoto springs. These are dry season refugees for wildlife and  when most of the rivers get dry. Undulating Landscape The park has undulating land and hills including  kilimamatonge, Nyamasombe, Nyanywa, Chariwindwi, Igawira, Mwayiui, Kibiriti,  Magangwe, Ndetamburwa and Isukanvyiola. These act as kopjes creating good  habitat for animals such as klipspringer which normally can be seen in some of  these hills. Tourism Activities Tourism activities in the park include Game viewing, long and  short wilderness walking safari, bird watching, picnic, bush meals (break-fast,  lunch, dinner) in the untouched bushes. Best Time To See The  Wildlife Best time to see predators and large mammals is during the dry  season (mid May-December). The wet season (January –April) is best for bird watching, lush  scenery and wildflowers. The male Greater kudu is most visible in June which is  their breeding season. How to get there

By air

There are both scheduled and chartered flights into the park  mainly from Arusha, Dodoma,  Kigoma and Dar-es-salaam. Park’s airstrips are located at Msembe and Jongomero

By road

It is about 130km drive from Iringa town and 625km from  Dar-es-salaam city.       The road into the park is passable throughout the year. Accommodation There are park and privately owned facilities Park facilities Are as follows Self catering tourist bandas Special  camping sites Public  camping sites Rest  house Hostel  for school groups Park  cottages Family cottage Single room with sitting room Single room without sitting room Private facilities Inside the park There are several luxury tented camps operating in the park such  as Jongomero, Kigelia, Mwagusi safari, Old Mdonya River, Kwihala and Flycatcher  and one lodge namely Ruaha River lodge. These are privately owned. Outside the park There are several accommodation facilities just outside the  park: these are hill top lodge, Sunset lodge, Tandala tented camp to mention a  few.   Click to Post

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Tanzanian red-billed hornbill