Greater Honeyguide

## About

A male greater honeyguide perched on a tree branch.

The greater honeyguide ***(Indicator indicator)*** also known as the indicator bird, is a species of African bird, known and named for its alleged ability to guide other animals to beehives. The greater honeyguide is the largest species in the indicatoridae family and exhibits small amounts of sexual dimorphism. While female honeyguides are a greyish brown colour with white streaks and are quite dull in appearance otherwise, males have a more striking appearance. The male's plumage is the same as the female's however, it also includes small areas of yellow or gold on t's flanks (sides) as well as facial marking, which include pale grey/white ear patches as well as a black throat. The most standout feature of the male is the muted pink colour present on the beak, an attribute that the female and juvenile lack. Comparatively to their adult counterparts, juvenile honeyguides possess a sharp contrasted colour scheme, including a golden, taupe and olive brown overall plumage. Regardless of sex, adult greater honeyguides are identifiable from other Indicatorids because of their brown shaft streaks, as well as their white rumps, coverts, undersides and edged tail feathers. Depending on the sex, the honeyguide also differs slightly in mass, with males being 48.9g (1.72oz) while females are slightly lighter at 46.8g (1.65oz). Regardless of the sex, the greater honeyguide measures to 20cm (7.87in) from crown to tail tip.

## Diet

The greater honeyguide and the family it belongs to, Indicatoridae, is named for the bird's ability to attract stronger species to beehives in order to penetrate or break them (this is discussed more in Behaviour). Once the hive has been broken, the honeyguide will begin to feed on the wax reserves as well as the bee larvae. The greater honeyguide is actually one of very few bird species able to digest wax.

## Conservation Status

The greater honeyguide is listed as a least concern species by the IUCN, as there are no apparent threats to the species' population that are of note. Birdlife Datazone, addresses that the species' large range and likely large population are not close to approaching thresh-holds to be considered vulnerable as a species.

## Range and Population

Greater honeyguides occupy a vast and expansive range that encompasses a large majority of sub-Saharan Africa. The birds can be found in a variety of habitats including woodlands, savannas, shrub and scrublands, coastal areas and more however, it cannot be found in areas of extreme landscapes, such as the rainforests of the D.R.C and Central Africa or the desserts of Namibia and Southwestern African areas. Throughout its range the greater honeyguide is a relatively commonly-sighted bird however, its population is unknown and likely decreasing according to the IUCN page for the species. Birdlife Datazone argues that the greater honeyguide's population is actually increasing in size. This argument is supported by the lack of fluctuation or fragmentation of the honeyguide's range. Birdlife also suggests the species' population may be estimated at any <10,000 mature individuals, whereas the IUCN's data lists it as unknown.

## Behaviour

As mentioned before the greater honeyguide is named for its tendency to guide or lure other species towards beehives in order to crack them. The greater honeyguide will call loudly as well as fan and flare its tail after locating a beehive, a strategy used in luring more capable animals to the site. Though this display typically attracts honey badgers ***(Mellivora capensis)*** and various baboon species, it is also suspected to be used in attempts to lure humans. Though greater honeyguides are solitary birds, once signs of a broken hive are apparent, many will flock to the area. The species utilises a variety of calls for assorted purposes. Whilst courting, for example, a male will attempt to attract a potential mate by calling in a particular area. The same male will use this site yearly and though it is uncommon, females have also been found mimicking male calls in these areas, though the reasoning for this is unclear. After a female is attracted, the male will circle her from above, drumming his wings and eventually landing with her. After landing, the male will display his white tail retrices, before fluttering his wings whilst making a low and shrill call. After mating is complete, the pair will not associate with each other, finding new mates every breeding season (September-October). Greater honeyguides are known to be nest parasites and rather than raising her own chicks, the female greater honeyguide will lay her one of her 4-8 eggs in multiple nests belonging to other species. Is this process is successful, the mother of this nest will raise the honeyguide chick alongside her own offspring. The eggs of the greater honeyguide have an incubation period of 18 days, making it extremely important that the mother lays her eggs on time, as if she doesn't, the surrogate mother will realise the eggs are not of her species, before ignoring them. Once the chick hatches, it will penetrate the surrounding eggs using its specialised sharp, hooked beak. This act, though it may seem unjust, ensures the honeyguide's survival. The foreign chick will receive most of the feeding attempts, as it usually the last remaining young in its nest. The greater honeyguide will fledge at 30-40 days of age however, its 'parents' will continue to feed it for an additional 7-10 days.

### Relationship with Humans

New evidence suggests that the greater honeyguide may be capable of understanding humans. This evidence was gathered by Claire Spottiswoode, of the University of Cambridge, who closely studied the interactions between the local Yao people of Mozambique and greater honeyguides. The Yao people has devised a call which was described in the article as a "resounding *brrr-hm*—rolling their tongues like a Spaniard before punctuating it with a brassy “humph”". This call to the greater honeyguides has become a sound que the birds recognise as a request to hunt. The call was proven to successfully attract greater honeyguides 66% of the time, while searches typically ended successfully 75% of the time. This mutualism results in a good outcome for both sides, as the Yao people acquire honey and the honeyguides acquire wax and larvae. Spottiswoode hypothesised that the honeyguides learn this behaviour depending on the local sound ques, rather than inheriting the ability. To elaborate, individuals in Tanzania have learnt to associate human-mutualism with whistling calls, whereas individuals in Zambia associate it with sounds of wood being chopped. This mutualism has become more uncommon with the introduction of controlled bee farming in many of these regions however, the Yao-honeyguide relationship remains strong.

## In Captivity

No greater honeyguides can be found in zoological institutions. This is largely in part to their extremely specialised lifestyle, which cannot be accurately emulated in a captive environment.

## Sources

* Meet the Greater Honeyguide, The Bird That Understands Humans | Audubon - https://www.audubon.org/news/meet-greater-honeyguide-bird-understands-humans
* Greater Honeyguide | Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology - https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Indicator\_indicator/
* IUCN Red List of Threatened Species - https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22680616/92868613
* Greater Honeyguide | Birdlife International Datazone - http://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/greater-honeyguide-indicator-indicator