The crested guineafowl, with bright red eyes and the the best feather mohawk I’ve seen, is one funky bird.
A flock of them visited our campsite in Kruger to take dust baths in the fine, dry soil right next to our tent.
The fine dirt is perfect for getting down between the feathers and to the skin to kill off lice, as well as to remove excess oils and keeps the feathers in good condition to allow for a quick escape from predators.
A face only a mother could love!?
While some will say yes, warthogs more than make up for it with their personalities. This adult female was strutting her stuff on the way to the watering hole. Her appearance caught the eye of two nearby males, who quickly tried to establish which one of them was going to get the chance to talk to her.
While the smaller and younger male put up a good fight and made a last ditched effort to tusk his opponent, it was the older, mud-covered male that won out.
After chasing the younger male away, he walked over to the female while clattering his teeth and drooling for her attention. However, on this morning she was more interested in getting a drink than any of his advances. The male got the message and without missing a beat, he wandered off to try his luck with another female.
Owen Slater Photography 