Seems like spring has sprung with all the bird activity of the last week or so. Managed to catch a Lesser honeyguide, Indicator minor, in the riverine forest in front of the house a few days ago.

This species is a brood parasite that parasites a range of hole nesting species. Their main hosts are barbets, and with the black collared barbet being very vocal here right now, I can only wonder if this honeyguide is checking it out.

When a female honey guide lays an egg in a host’s nest, she will commonly break the host’s eggs open with her beak. When it hatches, the honeyguide chick has a hook on its bill which it uses to kill any of the host’s chicks, that are hatching at the same time.