Abyssinian scimitarbill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Abyssinian scimitarbill |
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| Adult bird in Laikipia, Kenya | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Rhinopomastus
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| Species: |
minor
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The Abyssinian scimitarbill (say: ab-ih-SIN-ee-un SIM-ih-tar-bill) is a cool type of bird. Its scientific name is Rhinopomastus minor. It belongs to the Phoeniculidae family, which includes other interesting birds like the wood hoopoes.
The name 'Abyssinia' comes from an old name for the country Ethiopia. And 'scimitar' means a curved sword, which is exactly what this bird's beak looks like! You can find these birds in parts of Africa like Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda. They don't migrate, meaning they stay in one place all year. They are also active during the day and live on land. Sometimes, their nests are used by another bird called the greater honeyguide, which is known for guiding people to beehives.
Contents
What Does It Look Like?
The Abyssinian scimitarbill is an all-black bird. It has a beautiful blue-purple iridescence (a shimmering, rainbow-like effect) all over its body, especially on the back of its head.
Its Special Beak
This bird's beak is bright orange to red. It's curved and pointed, just like a scimitar sword! The beak is a bit longer than the bird's head. It's perfect for poking into small cracks and holes to find insects.
How to Tell It Apart
You can tell the Abyssinian scimitarbill apart from other wood hoopoes by its black legs and shorter tail. Its tail is about the same length as its body (not counting its head).
Boys vs. Girls
Male and female Abyssinian scimitarbills look a little different.
- Males often have more blue colors in their feathers.
- Females tend to have more brown tones, especially on their heads.
- Males are usually a bit bigger and heavier than females. For example, a male's beak is about 3.33 cm long, while a female's is about 2.78 cm. Their tails are also different lengths: males have tails around 10.7 cm, and females around 9.5 cm. These birds usually weigh between 22 and 28 grams.
Where Do They Live?
Abyssinian scimitarbills love open, bushy areas and dry savanna habitats. They are also sometimes found in thorn scrubs, which are areas with thorny bushes and trees. They prefer lower altitudes, usually below 1400 meters (about 4,600 feet).
Different Types of Abyssinian Scimitarbills
There are two main types, or subspecies, of this bird:
- Rhinopomastus minor minor: This type lives on the eastern side of Africa, from Ethiopia to Somalia and Kenya.
- Rhinopomastus minor cabsanisi: This type lives further west, from Sudan to Ethiopia, Kenya, and Tanzania.
You can see where they live on a map here.
How Many Are There?
These birds live in an area of about 20,000 square kilometers (about 7,700 square miles). This area is spread out and not all connected. Even though their numbers are slowly going down, it's not happening very fast. Because of this, the Abyssinian scimitarbill is considered a species of least concern. This means they are not currently in danger of disappearing.
What Do They Do?
Bird Calls
The Abyssinian scimitarbill and its cousin, the Common Scimitarbill, make sharp cries. They also give off an unpleasant smell to keep predators away! Their warning calls sound like a series of rising "dok" notes. Other calls are shrill chirps that rise and fall a little in pitch. You can listen to their calls here.
What Do They Eat?
These birds are insectivores, which means they mostly eat live insects. Their diet includes bees, beetles, larvae, caterpillars, ants, flies, and wasps. They also sometimes eat seeds and berries. Interestingly, they have been seen nesting in old beehives, but they don't eat honey or other bee products themselves.
How Do They Have Babies?
Abyssinian scimitarbills are monogamous, meaning they stay with one partner. They build their nests alone. They usually lay about 2 eggs at a time. They start breeding when they are about 1.23 years old.
They typically nest in holes or cracks. These can be holes in trees or even abandoned beehives. They usually choose spots that are about 0.5 to 2 meters (1.6 to 6.5 feet) off the ground. One type of Abyssinian scimitarbill, called cabanisi, prefers to breed during the dry season.
Nest Invaders: The Honeyguides
Sometimes, the greater honeyguide bird will lay its eggs in the scimitarbill's nest. This is called parasitic nesting. The honeyguide eggs then hatch and are raised by the scimitarbill parents.
In one interesting case, a pair of scimitarbills laid 33 eggs over three years, but none of them hatched because honeyguides kept laying their eggs in the nest. In that same time, 7 honeyguide chicks successfully flew from the nest! However, the scimitarbills sometimes managed to push all the honeyguide eggs out of their nest. Later, when there were no honeyguides around, almost all the scimitarbill chicks successfully hatched and flew away.
Gallery
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Juvenile in Tanzania
