Cassin's Honeyguide Prodotiscus insignis Scientific name definitions

c. 10 cm; male 8·9–12 g, female 9–13 g (1 Short, L. L., and J. F. M. Horne (2001) Toucans, Barbets and Honeyguides. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ). Small, greenish bird with thin, flycatcher-like bill. Both sexes of nominate race various shades of green above, with erectile white patch between rump and flanks; outer tail, including tips, wholly white; olive-grey below , paler in centre. Differs from P. zambesiae in greener, more golden-­olive upperparts, darker underparts. Juvenile duller, greyer, sometimes shows remnants of hypotarsal spiny “heel”. Juvenile P. regulus also has all-white outer tail feathers, but is brown above and appears slightly larger. Race flavo­dorsalis is less olive, more yellow-green, above (especially on rump and wings) (1 Short, L. L., and J. F. M. Horne (2001) Toucans, Barbets and Honeyguides. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ), and paler underparts. No clear differences in size, although female perhaps slightly shorter-winged (61–68 mm, versus female of nominate 63–72 mm) (1 Short, L. L., and J. F. M. Horne (2001) Toucans, Barbets and Honeyguides. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ).

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Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

Primary and well-developed secondary forest, riverine forest, forest edges and clearings, and large trees in coffee and other plantations, as well as in farmbush (2 Dowsett-Lemaire, F. (2008). On the singing habits of forest honeyguides of the Guineo-Congolian region, with a request for further information. Bulletin of the African Bird Club 15(1): 24–35. Close ). Lowlands from sea-level regularly to 1000 m; to 1500 m in Liberia (Mt Nimba), to 1100–1200 m in Zaire and Angola, and at 700–2200 m in Uganda and W Kenya.

Probably only local movements.

Insects, preferentially scale insects (Coccidae) and their exudate, also wasps, caterpillars, flies, shield-bugs (Pentatomidae), and others; also spiders; occasionally fruits. Feeds in understorey and to canopy, flits from perch to perch flashing tail-tips, is an adroit fly-catcher; often takes insects at flowers of Erythrina, Gymnosporia, and other trees, but also from trunk surfaces (3 Lachenaud, O. (2006). Les oiseaux du Parc National du Banco et de la Forêt Classée de l’Anguédédou, Côte d’Ivoire. Malimbus 28(2):107–133. Close ). Joins mixed-species foraging flocks at times.

Almost unknown; chattering calls reported, also weak “ski-a” or “whi-hihi” notes, and buzzy song “tsrrr-tsrrr-” in flight (1 Short, L. L., and J. F. M. Horne (2001) Toucans, Barbets and Honeyguides. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ), which presumably forms part of (as yet undescribed) aerial display akin to that known in P. regulus and P. zambesiae (2 Dowsett-Lemaire, F. (2008). On the singing habits of forest honeyguides of the Guineo-Congolian region, with a request for further information. Bulletin of the African Bird Club 15(1): 24–35. Close ). Fledgling gives monotonic begging note (1 Short, L. L., and J. F. M. Horne (2001) Toucans, Barbets and Honeyguides. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ).

May in Liberia; recorded in Oct–Nov in Sierra Leone; Sept–Jan in Ghana, Cameroon, Gabon and Angola; probably Jun–Sept in Zaire; Mar–Apr in Sudan and W Kenya; Jul and Nov–Dec in Uganda (4 Carswell, M., D. Pomeroy, J. Reynolds, and H. Tushabe (2005). The Bird Atlas of Uganda. British Ornithologists’ Club and British Ornithologists' Union, Oxford, UK. Close ). Lays in cup-nests of species such as warblers (Apalis), e.g. Buff-throated Apalis (A. rufogularis) (1 Short, L. L., and J. F. M. Horne (2001) Toucans, Barbets and Honeyguides. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ), sunbirds (Nectarinia), including Olive-bellied Sunbird (Cinnyris chloropygius) (5 Waltert, M. and Faber, K. (2000). Olive-bellied Sunbird Nectarinia chloropygia host to Cassin’s Honeyguide Prodotiscus insignis. Malimbus 22(2): 86. Close ), probably flycatchers (Muscicapidae) and white-eyes (Zosterops). Eggs at least two, white (1 Short, L. L., and J. F. M. Horne (2001) Toucans, Barbets and Honeyguides. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ); no information on incubation period; one observed fed regularly by sunbird hosts for 8–9 days after fledging; adult of present species reported feeding a juvenile, a very rare occurrence in Indicatoridae.

Not globally threatened. Very little known; widespread but never common, and range apparently disjunct. Few specimens from C Congo Basin, which is generally not considered part of species’ range (6 Demey, R., P. Herroelen, and T. Pedersen (2000). Additions and annotations to the avifauna of Congo-Kinshasa (ex-Zaïre). Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 120(3):154–172. Close ). Not uncommon in Sierra Leone; rare to uncommon in Liberia, where possibly overlooked, and rare in Benin, where discovered as recently as 1997 (7 van den Akker, M. (2003). Birds of Niaouli Forest, southern Benin. Bulletin of the African Bird Club 10(1):16‒22. Close ); scarce in Kenya, where apparently extinct in Yala River Forest Reserve. Known to occur in Gola Forests Reserves (Sierra Leone), Taï Forest National Park, Banco National Park (3 Lachenaud, O. (2006). Les oiseaux du Parc National du Banco et de la Forêt Classée de l’Anguédédou, Côte d’Ivoire. Malimbus 28(2):107–133. Close ) and Forêt Classée de l’Anguédédou (3 Lachenaud, O. (2006). Les oiseaux du Parc National du Banco et de la Forêt Classée de l’Anguédédou, Côte d’Ivoire. Malimbus 28(2):107–133. Close ) (Ivory Coast), Kibale Forest National Park (Uganda), and Kakamega Nature Reserve (Kenya).