Common Scimitarbill

Overview

The common scimitarbill is a species of bird in the family Phoeniculidae that is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. It is widely distributed across sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in eastern and southern regions.

Identification

• Adults are approximately 26 cm in length and weigh roughly 35 grams.
• Possess a probing beak that is black in adults but grey in juveniles.
• Females and juveniles display more brown plumage on the front of the body compared to adult males.

Habitat

The species is found in Angola, Botswana, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eswatini, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Somalia, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Diet

It feeds almost entirely on insects found behind the bark of trees, a diet that necessitates the use of its specialized probing beak.