Indicator variegatus
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~30%
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 |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Scaly-throated Honeyguide sighting in uMkhuze Game Reserve on a given day, based on 24 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 199th most-seen of the 283 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
May–June and August–November
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Scaly-throated Honeyguide in uMkhuze Game Reserve on a given day, against under 5% in July and December–April, 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.
Yes
Of the 12 parks where we can rate Scaly-throated Honeyguide sightings, uMkhuze Game Reserve has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Lake Nakuru National Park (Kenya, under 5%) and Garden Route National Park (South Africa, under 5%).
Same genus: Indicator
The closest relatives of the Scaly-throated Honeyguide that you can see in uMkhuze Game Reserve (genus Indicator, Typical Honeyguides) are Greater Honeyguide (about 10%) and Lesser Honeyguide (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Scaly-throated Honeyguide is recorded against all the birds logged in uMkhuze Game Reserve (24 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.
