Prodotiscus zambesiae
The Green-backed Honeybird, *Prodotiscus zambesiae*, is a small, unobtrusive avian jewel of sub-Saharan Africa, typically measuring 11-13 cm in length and weighing a mere 9-15 grams. Its plumage is characterized by a drab, olive-green to brownish-green back, contrasting with dull white underparts, often with a faint yellowish wash on the flanks, and distinctive white outer tail feathers visible in flight. A subtle but often noticeable white supercilium above the eye aids in identification. Ta...
This species primarily inhabits dry woodlands, savannas, miombo, and thornveld at low to medium elevations across sub-Saharan Africa, favoring areas with scattered trees and shrubs.
Primarily insectivorous, feeding on small caterpillars, beetles, and other arthropods gleaned from vegetation, supplemented by nectar from various flowering trees and shrubs.
The Green-backed Honeybird is generally a solitary and somewhat secretive bird, typically observed alone or in pairs, though it may occasionally join mixed-species foraging flocks. It is an active diurnal forager, gleaning small insects, such as caterpillars, scale insects, and bark beetles, from...
The Green-backed Honeybird has a wide, though somewhat disjunct, distribution across sub-Saharan Africa. Its breeding and resident range extends from Angola and Namibia eastwards through Zambia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mozambique, and northern parts of South Africa (Limpopo, Mpumalanga, KwaZu...
Least Concern
- Despite its family name, the Green-backed Honeybird is not known to 'guide' humans or animals to beehives, a behavior famous in some of its larger relatives. - It is an obligate brood parasite, meaning it lays its eggs in the nests of other bird species, relying on the unwitting 'foster parents...