Indicator variegatus
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
The scaly-throated honeyguide (Indicator variegatus) is a species of bird in the family Indicatoridae. They have a mutualistic relationship with humans in which they attract beekeepers towards bees' nests and then feeding on the remains, especially larvae.
The scaly-throated honeyguide is closely related to the spotted honeyguide (Indicator maculatus), of which it shares part of its range. The two species are sympatric in South Sudan and Southwest Uganda. Scaly-throated honeyguides from Southern Somalia to Northeast Tanzania were previously regarded as a separate race (jubaensis). However, the species is currently regarded as monotypic, with no subspecies.
Mature scaly-throated honeyguides range between 18 and 19 centimetres (7.1 and 7.5 in) and typically weigh around 34 to 55 grams (0.075 to 0.121 lb), occasionally reaching up to 61 grams (0.134 lb). Males are larger than females, with recorded weights of males ranging from 50 to 56 grams (0.110 to 0.123 lb) and weights of females generally ranging from 36.6 to 55 grams (0.081 to 0.121 lb). However, male birds in Uganda have been reported to weigh as low as 31 grams (0.068 lb) and females, up to 60... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | uMkhuze Game Reserve | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 2 | Lake Nakuru National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 3 | Garden Route National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 4 | iSimangaliso Wetland Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 5 | Arusha National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 6 | Ngorongoro Conservation Area | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 7 | Lake Mburo National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 8 | Kibale National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 9 | Bwindi Impenetrable National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 10 | Masai Mara National Reserve | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 11 | Serengeti National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 12 | Kruger National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Scaly-throated Honeyguide sighting in Garden Route National Park on a given day, based on 37 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 156th most-seen of the 222 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 20%, if each day is a fresh chance.
July to September
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Scaly-throated Honeyguide in Garden Route National Park on a given day, against under 5% in October to June, the lowest months.
Between 8 and 11 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Scaly-throated Honeyguide sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
3rd of 12
Of the 12 parks where we can rate Scaly-throated Honeyguide sightings, Garden Route National Park ranks 3rd at under 5%. The best odds are in uMkhuze Game Reserve (South Africa, about 10%) and Lake Nakuru National Park (Kenya, under 5%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Scaly-throated Honeyguide is recorded against all the birds logged in Garden Route National Park (37 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
