Honeyguide

Honeyguides
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Piciformes Family: Indicatoridae
Genera
Indicator Melichneutes Prodotiscus

Honeyguides are near passerine birds of the order Piciformes.They have an Old World tropical distribution, with the greatest number of species in Africa and a few in Asia.

These dull coloured birds, related to the barbets, are insect-eaters, often feeding on bees and wasps, together with their honey and wax. Their English and scientific names both refer to the habit of some species of leading humans or suitable large mammals, such as the ratel or "honey badger," to bee's nests. When the larger species breaks into the nest, the birds will take their share too.

Order Piciformes

• Family Picidae, (woodpeckers, piculets, and wrynecks
• Family Capitonidae, (barbets)
• Family Ramphastidae, (toucans
• Family Indicatoridae, (honeyguides)
• Family Galbulidae, (jacamars)
• Family Bucconidae, (puffbirds etc)

The last two families are sometimes separated as the order Gabuliformes.

Species list

• Family Indicatoridae
  • Genus Indicator
    • Spotted Honeyguide, Indicator maculatus
    • Scaly-throated Honeyguide, Indicator variegatus
    • Greater Honeyguide, Indicator indicator
    • Malaysian Honeyguide, Indicator archipelagicus
    • Lesser Honeyguide, Indicator minor
    • Thick-billed Honeyguide, Indicator conirostris
    • Willcock's Honeyguide, Indicator willcocksi
    • Least Honeyguide, Indicator exilis
    • Dwarf Honeyguide, Indicator pumilio
    • Pallid Honeyguide, Indicator meliphilus
    • Yellow-rumped Honeyguide, Indicator xanthonotus
  • Genus Melichneutes
    • Lyre-tailed Honeyguide, Melichneutes robustus
    • Yellow-footed Honeyguide, Melignomon eisentrauti
    • Zenker's Honeyguide, Melignomon zenkeri
  • Genus Prodotiscus
    • Cassin's Honeyguide, Prodotiscus insignis
    • Green-backed Honeyguide, Prodotiscus zambesiae
    • Wahlberg's Honeyguide Prodotiscus regulus