Brown-backed Honeybird (Prodotiscus regulus)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Brown-backed Honeybird

Prodotiscus regulus Sundevall, 1850

14 gWeight

The brown-backed honeybird (Prodotiscus regulus), also known as Wahlberg's honeybird, Wahlberg's honeyguide and sharp-billed honeyguide, is a species of bird in the family Indicatoridae.

Busiest months: November · Most records: South Africa, Kenya, Uganda

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Brown-backed Honeybird has been recorded at 175 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 20 countries and regions.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Kirstenbosch Botanical GardenSouth Africa231 records
  2. Delta ParkSouth Africa75 records
  3. Sani Pass (ZA) – low elevationSouth Africa65 records
More places
  1. Nairobi NPKenya58 records
  2. Walter Sisulu National Botanical GardenSouth Africa46 records
  3. Suikerbosrand NRSouth Africa41 records
  4. Rietvlei NRSouth Africa41 records
  5. Lake Mburo NPUganda34 records
  6. Polokwane GRSouth Africa31 records
  7. Zaagkuildrift RdSouth Africa30 records

Countries and regions with the most records

South AfricaKenyaUgandaZimbabweRwandaZambiaTanzaniaNamibia

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The brown-backed honeybird (Prodotiscus regulus), also known as Wahlberg's honeybird, Wahlberg's honeyguide and sharp-billed honeyguide, is a species of bird in the family Indicatoridae. This bird is named after the Swedish naturalist Johan August Wahlberg.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Brown-backed Honeybird?

The Brown-backed Honeybird weighs around 14 g.

Where does the Brown-backed Honeybird live?

Its breeding range: Africa: widespread. It is most often recorded in South Africa, Kenya and Uganda.

When is the best time to see the Brown-backed Honeybird?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in November (Southern Hemisphere).

Is the Brown-backed Honeybird endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Brown-backed Honeybird as Least Concern.

What does the Brown-backed Honeybird eat?

Main food: Insects & other invertebrates.

What family is the Brown-backed Honeybird in?

It belongs to the family Honeyguides (Indicatoridae), order Piciformes.

At a glance

Weight
14 g
Habitat
Woodland
Diet
Insects & other invertebrates
Lifestyle
Perches in trees
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
77 mm
Tail
51 mm
Bill
10 mm
Tarsus
12 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Africa: widespread

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Family
Honeyguides Indicatoridae
Genus
Prodotiscus

Other birds in the genus Prodotiscus

Brown-backed Honeybird

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