By: Elin Barton

Cassidy

One of two African Hornbills at the Wildlife Waystation, Cassidy has flamboyant markings, and the personality to match. He was once allowed to share an office with Waystation founder and director Martine Colette, but that was before he developed an affinity for popping computer keys off keyboards. Cassidy was then moved to an outdoor enclosure, but soon became an accomplished escape artist. Fortunately the mischievous bird never goes very far from the humans who have become symbols of food and safety to him over the past six years.

Colette said that if you really want to become friends with a hornbill you should carry around its favorite treat, mealworms. Other favored snacks are insects, lizards, and small rodents, and this diet is one reason that hornbills don’t make very good pets. Although it is legal to own a hornbill, a person must be very dedicated to the bird to ensure its quality of life. "This type of bird enjoys hunting live prey, which is unpleasant for many people; they are also excellent fliers which means they should be kept in an aviary, not a cage," she said. Colette also pointed out that owning a hornbill is a long-term commitment as they can live to be twenty or older.

The African Hornbill is probably most at home in the brush country of its native land. This solitary bird sits in the tallest branches of trees for long periods of time, stalking its prey. "When you picture the hornbill in Africa, in some of the most beautiful places on the continent, you realize that these birds weren’t meant to be kept in cages," Colette said. "If people truly feel love and admiration for these animals, then they’d be better off working to help preserve the birds’ habitat, not trying to possess them."

To find out more about hornbills, or to make a donation to sponsor Cassidy, or to the Wildlife Waystation, call 818-899-5201.

This article printed with permission from the Foothill Sentinel