Common Scimitarbill Rhinopomastus cyanomelas Scientific name definitions

26–30 cm; 24–38·8 g (1 Fry, C. H., S. Keith, and E. K. Urban, Editors (1988). The Birds of Africa. Volume 3. Parrots to Woodpeckers. Academic Press, London, UK. Close ). Nominate male dark , iridescent, with crown and face deep blue, nape, mantle and rump violet; white bar across primaries, some primary-coverts white; white subterminal spots may be present or absent on outer tail feathers; underparts dull black with blue tinge; bill long, slender, strongly decurved, black; eye dark brown; tarsi and toes black. Female like male but smaller, perhaps duller and browner below. Compared to R. atterimus, has longer, decurved bill and longer tail, while R. minor is separated from both other congenerics by its bright orange bill; compared to R. m. cabinisi, present species shows white wingbar in flight (1 Fry, C. H., S. Keith, and E. K. Urban, Editors (1988). The Birds of Africa. Volume 3. Parrots to Woodpeckers. Academic Press, London, UK. Close ). Immature duller than adult, with short black bill. Race schalowi longer-tailed (in male 126–179 mm versus 118–148 mm in nominate) (1 Fry, C. H., S. Keith, and E. K. Urban, Editors (1988). The Birds of Africa. Volume 3. Parrots to Woodpeckers. Academic Press, London, UK. Close ) but shorter-billed (mean in male 42·3 mm versus 44·3 mm) (1 Fry, C. H., S. Keith, and E. K. Urban, Editors (1988). The Birds of Africa. Volume 3. Parrots to Woodpeckers. Academic Press, London, UK. Close ), broad white bar on inner web of primaries, spot present on outer web of primaries 2–9, outer half of primary-coverts white, tail with variable broad white subterminal bar on outer three feathers.

Editor's Note: This article requires further editing work to merge existing content into the appropriate Subspecies sections. Please bear with us while this update takes place.

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.

Dry thornbush country, palms, wooded savanna, occasionally thicker woodland, including  miombo, mopane, Acacia–Combretum and other mixed types (3 Dowsett-Lemaire, F., and R. J. Dowsett (2006). The Birds of Malawi: An Atlas and Handbook. Tauraco Press & Aves, Liège, Belgium. Close ), but avoids true forest and is rare in moister woodland (3 Dowsett-Lemaire, F., and R. J. Dowsett (2006). The Birds of Malawi: An Atlas and Handbook. Tauraco Press & Aves, Liège, Belgium. Close ). From sea-level to over 2150 m (4 Dowsett, R. J., D. R. Aspinwall, and F. Dowsett-Lemaire (2008). The Birds of Zambia. Tauraco Press & Aves, Liège, Belgium. Close ).

Movements of individuals unknown, but species is probably less sedentary than Phoeniculus species. Usually recorded below 1700 m in Zambia, with records from higher elevations attributed to wandering birds (4 Dowsett, R. J., D. R. Aspinwall, and F. Dowsett-Lemaire (2008). The Birds of Zambia. Tauraco Press & Aves, Liège, Belgium. Close ). In Zimbabwe, species is considered resident, with pairs remaining together year-round and occasionally inspecting their nest-sites in non-breeding season (5 Steyn, P. (1999). The breeding biology of the Scimitarbilled Woodhoopoe. Ostrich. 70(3-4): 173-178. Close ).

Diet consists mostly of insects, including ants (Crematogaster) (1 Fry, C. H., S. Keith, and E. K. Urban, Editors (1988). The Birds of Africa. Volume 3. Parrots to Woodpeckers. Academic Press, London, UK. Close ) and their larvae from ant-galls, as well as flies, caterpillars, pupae ; also spiders, cockroaches, king crickets (Maxentius sp.) (5 Steyn, P. (1999). The breeding biology of the Scimitarbilled Woodhoopoe. Ostrich. 70(3-4): 173-178. Close ), small fruits, berries, tree seeds, and perhaps gecko eggs (5 Steyn, P. (1999). The breeding biology of the Scimitarbilled Woodhoopoe. Ostrich. 70(3-4): 173-178. Close ). Forages on branches, twigs, foliage and flowers for insects; some observations suggest that sexes forage differently, reflecting the variation in bill size between them, with males concentrating on main trunks and larger branches and females on smaller outer branches (5 Steyn, P. (1999). The breeding biology of the Scimitarbilled Woodhoopoe. Ostrich. 70(3-4): 173-178. Close ). Frequently hangs upside-down , and climbs down trunk head downwards, but usually lands low down on trunk before climbing initially (1 Fry, C. H., S. Keith, and E. K. Urban, Editors (1988). The Birds of Africa. Volume 3. Parrots to Woodpeckers. Academic Press, London, UK. Close ); probes small holes in galls of ant-gall acacia (Acacia drepanolobium); sometimes forages on ground. Observed feeding on Aloe marlothii nectar in South Africa and drinking water trapped in the leaves of the same tree (6 Symes, C. T., S. W. Nicolson, and A. E. McKechnie (2008). Response of avian nectarivores to the flowering of Aloe marlothii: a nectar oasis during dry South African winters. Journal of Ornithology 149(1):13–22. Close , 7 Riddell, I.C. (2009). Is the Common Scimitarbill a nectar feeder? Honeyguide. 55(2): 134. Close ). Solitary, or in pairs or small family groups of 4–6 individuals (1 Fry, C. H., S. Keith, and E. K. Urban, Editors (1988). The Birds of Africa. Volume 3. Parrots to Woodpeckers. Academic Press, London, UK. Close ). Often joins mixed-species foraging flocks, e.g. in Zambia, recorded in 18–24% of such groups (1 Fry, C. H., S. Keith, and E. K. Urban, Editors (1988). The Birds of Africa. Volume 3. Parrots to Woodpeckers. Academic Press, London, UK. Close ), sometimes with Phoeniculus purpureus (3 Dowsett-Lemaire, F., and R. J. Dowsett (2006). The Birds of Malawi: An Atlas and Handbook. Tauraco Press & Aves, Liège, Belgium. Close ). When joining groups of Southern Pied Babblers (Turdoides bicolor) birds take advantage of the latter's sentinel system and can therefore reduce their own vigilance rate, increase their foraging efficiency, and expand their niche by moving into open habitat and excavating subterranean food items (8 Ridley, A.R., Wiley, E.M. and Thompson, A.M. (2014). The ecological benefits of interceptive eavesdropping. Functional Ecology. 28: 197–205. Close ).

Song (given by male alone) (5 Steyn, P. (1999). The breeding biology of the Scimitarbilled Woodhoopoe. Ostrich. 70(3-4): 173-178. Close ) is a mournful, high-pitched, ventriloquial, 3–5-note "poui-poui-poui" or "wheep-wheep-wheep", given at rate of 1·6 notes per sec either perched or in flight (sometimes 3–4 m above treetops, apparently in display) (5 Steyn, P. (1999). The breeding biology of the Scimitarbilled Woodhoopoe. Ostrich. 70(3-4): 173-178. Close ), the final note becoming slightly lower-pitched; also a rapidly repeated "kwi-kwi-kwi-kwi..." that maintains contact between pair ot is used by male to alert female ot his arrival at nest with food (5 Steyn, P. (1999). The breeding biology of the Scimitarbilled Woodhoopoe. Ostrich. 70(3-4): 173-178. Close ); a high, twittering "kui-ker-ker-ker-ker" that descends in pitch, given in excitement or alarm (5 Steyn, P. (1999). The breeding biology of the Scimitarbilled Woodhoopoe. Ostrich. 70(3-4): 173-178. Close ); a harsh, chattering "ka-ka-ka"; a low "ka" note in alarm (1 Fry, C. H., S. Keith, and E. K. Urban, Editors (1988). The Birds of Africa. Volume 3. Parrots to Woodpeckers. Academic Press, London, UK. Close ); and a soft, squeaky but relatively far-carrying "sweee-sweee-sweee" given by both female and young in nest (5 Steyn, P. (1999). The breeding biology of the Scimitarbilled Woodhoopoe. Ostrich. 70(3-4): 173-178. Close ).

Recorded Aug–Feb: in Zimbabwe most records Sept–Oct (range Aug–Dec) (5 Steyn, P. (1999). The breeding biology of the Scimitarbilled Woodhoopoe. Ostrich. 70(3-4): 173-178. Close ); Aug–Oct in Zambia (4 Dowsett, R. J., D. R. Aspinwall, and F. Dowsett-Lemaire (2008). The Birds of Zambia. Tauraco Press & Aves, Liège, Belgium. Close ), Sept–Oct in Malawi (3 Dowsett-Lemaire, F., and R. J. Dowsett (2006). The Birds of Malawi: An Atlas and Handbook. Tauraco Press & Aves, Liège, Belgium. Close ) and Namibia; in South Africa Jan and Sept–Dec, with most records in Oct–Nov; in Kenya, nesting recorded in Jun. Monogamous; solitary nester; no helpers at nest recorded. Nest in tree cavity , either natural cavity or old woodpecker or barbet (1 Fry, C. H., S. Keith, and E. K. Urban, Editors (1988). The Birds of Africa. Volume 3. Parrots to Woodpeckers. Academic Press, London, UK. Close ) hole, 0·5–2·5 m above ground and chamber 0·3–0·5 m deep (1 Fry, C. H., S. Keith, and E. K. Urban, Editors (1988). The Birds of Africa. Volume 3. Parrots to Woodpeckers. Academic Press, London, UK. Close ); some material (dead leaves, lichens) brought to nest; also accepts nestboxes (5 Steyn, P. (1999). The breeding biology of the Scimitarbilled Woodhoopoe. Ostrich. 70(3-4): 173-178. Close ); in Kenya (L Naivasha), pair nested very close (15 m) (1 Fry, C. H., S. Keith, and E. K. Urban, Editors (1988). The Birds of Africa. Volume 3. Parrots to Woodpeckers. Academic Press, London, UK. Close ) to active Phoeniculus purpureus nest; same site may be used in successive years. Clutch 2–4 eggs, mean 3·24 in Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi, 3·0 in South Africa, deep bluish green with chalky-white pits, stained brownish after few days, size 20·2–24 mm × 14·5–18 mm (5 Steyn, P. (1999). The breeding biology of the Scimitarbilled Woodhoopoe. Ostrich. 70(3-4): 173-178. Close ), c. 3·2 g (1 Fry, C. H., S. Keith, and E. K. Urban, Editors (1988). The Birds of Africa. Volume 3. Parrots to Woodpeckers. Academic Press, London, UK. Close ), laid at one-day intervals (5 Steyn, P. (1999). The breeding biology of the Scimitarbilled Woodhoopoe. Ostrich. 70(3-4): 173-178. Close ), incubated by female alone (provisioned by male at rate of 5·6 visits per hour) for 13–17 days, commencing with penultimate or final egg (5 Steyn, P. (1999). The breeding biology of the Scimitarbilled Woodhoopoe. Ostrich. 70(3-4): 173-178. Close ); chick, c. 4 g on hatching (5 Steyn, P. (1999). The breeding biology of the Scimitarbilled Woodhoopoe. Ostrich. 70(3-4): 173-178. Close ), covered with long quills at ten days, quills shed rapidly, leaving complete new juvenile plumage; female remains at nest with small young (for c. 4 days) (5 Steyn, P. (1999). The breeding biology of the Scimitarbilled Woodhoopoe. Ostrich. 70(3-4): 173-178. Close ); male delivers food to female (at c. 20-minute intervals) (1 Fry, C. H., S. Keith, and E. K. Urban, Editors (1988). The Birds of Africa. Volume 3. Parrots to Woodpeckers. Academic Press, London, UK. Close ), which then feeds young; later, both parents forage, usually together, often returning to nest simultaneously, where each feeds young (and with female generally visiting nest with food c. 15% more than male) (5 Steyn, P. (1999). The breeding biology of the Scimitarbilled Woodhoopoe. Ostrich. 70(3-4): 173-178. Close ). Fledging occurs at 21–24 days, when c. 22–33 g (5 Steyn, P. (1999). The breeding biology of the Scimitarbilled Woodhoopoe. Ostrich. 70(3-4): 173-178. Close ), after which nest-site is abandoned completely (5 Steyn, P. (1999). The breeding biology of the Scimitarbilled Woodhoopoe. Ostrich. 70(3-4): 173-178. Close ), but young dependent on adults for at least several days after departure (1 Fry, C. H., S. Keith, and E. K. Urban, Editors (1988). The Birds of Africa. Volume 3. Parrots to Woodpeckers. Academic Press, London, UK. Close ). Sometimes double-brooded, with second clutch being laid in same nest as first on two occasions such behaviour recorded in Zimbabwe (5 Steyn, P. (1999). The breeding biology of the Scimitarbilled Woodhoopoe. Ostrich. 70(3-4): 173-178. Close ). Breeding success: in Zimbabwe 76% of eggs laid (n = 37) produced fledged young (5 Steyn, P. (1999). The breeding biology of the Scimitarbilled Woodhoopoe. Ostrich. 70(3-4): 173-178. Close ). Parasitized by Greater Honeyguide (Indicator indicator) in South Africa (1 Fry, C. H., S. Keith, and E. K. Urban, Editors (1988). The Birds of Africa. Volume 3. Parrots to Woodpeckers. Academic Press, London, UK. Close ).

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). No population estimates available; widespread and sometimes locally common; fairly common resident in open woodland, savanna and bush across much of N Tanzania and S Kenya; uncommon in S Somalia. Only presently known threat posed by human activities is destruction of trees used for foraging, nesting and roosting. Present in numerous national parks, e.g. Akagera (Rwanda), South Luangwa (Zambia), Hwange and Mana Pools (Zimbabwe), Etosha (Namibia) and Kruger (South Africa).