Pallid Honeyguide | Indicator meliphilus

The Pallid Honeyguide is a Southern African bird that belongs to the Indicatoridae bird family group which includes birds such as Honeyguides.

The description for the Pallid Honeyguide (Latin name Indicator meliphilus) can be found in the 7th Edition of the Roberts Birds of Southern Africa. The Indicator meliphilus can be quickly identified by its unique Roberts identification number of 477 and the detailed description of this bird is on page 126. You will find a picture of the Pallid Honeyguide on page 144.

NOTE: The reference for the information following is "Roberts Birds of Southern Africa", 7th Edition*. This edition contained a number of taxonomic changes as well as changes to English names used traditionally and in earlier editions of most bird books in South Africa. The following paragraph notes such changes if any.

This bird is known as Eastern Honeyguide in the Roberts 6th Edition. There have been no changes in the Latin name for the Pallid Honeyguide between the Roberts 6th and Roberts 7th Edition

The Pallid Honeyguide has a height of 13 cms and weighs around 20 gms. The head is coloured olive, green while the bill is coloured black. The Indicator meliphilus has a grey, white coloured throat, blue, grey legs and a olive, green coloured back. The eyes are grey.

Take note of the bird's main distinguishing features such as colour, size and leg length relative to the body size of the bird. Colours of a bird's body parts can be helpful. Be aware what may appear brown to one person is described in Roberts Birds using some other word ... for example brown, black. See colours used in Roberts.

Head is olive, green

Eyes are grey

Bill is black

Legs are blue, grey

Throat is grey, white

Back is olive, green

Feeding Habits ...

The Indicator meliphilus attacks its prey aerially and feeds on wing or takes the prey to a secluded venue where it is killed, torn into small pieces and eaten

This bird eats insects such as butterflies, bees, wasps, locusts and ants. These invertebrates are usually hawked aerially, killed and then eaten .

Breeding, Habitat and Nesting Habits ...

The Pallid Honeyguide does not built its own nest but rather invades the nest of other birds. If the bird does not find an empty nest it will attack the host (original nest owner) and displace it

The Pallid Honeyguide is mainly found in light and densely wooded forests, where there are Mopane trees.

This bird is very common in most of the Southern African Forests

Seen in Flocks, Singles or Pairs Normally ...

The Pallid Honeyguide is mainly seen singly or in pairs in the wild.

The reference for the information following is "Roberts Birds of Southern Africa", 7th Edition * edited by PAR Hockey, WRJ Dean and PG Ryan, published by "The Trustees of the John Voelcker Bird Book Fund."

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