The greater honeyguide is a bird in the family Indicatoridae, paleotropical near passerine birds related to the woodpeckers. Its English and scientific names refer to its habit of guiding people to bee colonies. Claims that it also guides non-human animals are disputed.
Region
Sub-Saharan Africa
Typical Environment
Occurs widely across savannas, dry and moist woodlands, forest edges, riparian thickets, and cultivated areas. It is often found near areas with natural or managed beehives and where cavity-nesting host species occur. Dense rainforest interiors are generally avoided, but it uses edges, clearings, and gallery forests. It tolerates human-modified landscapes and is frequently recorded near villages and farms.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 3000 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The greater honeyguide famously leads people to wild bee colonies, a mutualism documented in several African cultures, after which it feeds on wax and bee brood left behind. It is an obligate brood parasite, laying eggs in the nests of hole-nesting birds such as barbets, bee-eaters, and kingfishers. The chicks hatch with a temporary hook on the bill used to kill host young. Unusually for birds, it can digest beeswax, aided by specialized gut microbes.
Juvenile in Maasai Mara - Kenya
Immature male in The Gambia
Temperament
alert, inquisitive, and often confiding near humans
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with brief glides
Social Behavior
Typically solitary or in pairs when not breeding. It is an obligate brood parasite, laying single eggs in nests of hole-nesting hosts; no nest is built by the species. Females may remove or damage host eggs, and the chick uses a hook-tipped bill soon after hatching to eliminate host young. Adults range widely while foraging and may interact with people during guiding bouts.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Calls include loud, repeated chattering and whistled notes, often rendered as a fast tirr-tirr or chik-chik series. During guiding, it gives persistent, carrying notes that can continue for many minutes to attract human followers.
