Common Scimitarbill (Rhinopomastus cyanomelas)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Common Scimitarbill

Rhinopomastus cyanomelas (Vieillot, 1819)

26 cmLength27 gWeight

The common scimitarbill (Rhinopomastus cyanomelas) is a species of bird in the family Phoeniculidae.

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

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Common Scimitarbill has been recorded at 274 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 15 countries and regions.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Mkhuze GRSouth Africa471 records
  2. Lake Mburo NPUganda403 records
  3. Arabuko-Sokoke Forest NRKenya347 records
More places
  1. Kruger NP – Satara CampSouth Africa236 records
  2. Lake Nakuru NPKenya195 records
  3. Bwabwata NP – Mahango riverside loopNamibia174 records
  4. Phinda GR – AirfieldSouth Africa171 records
  5. Kruger NP – Skukuza CampSouth Africa169 records
  6. Manyoni GR – Zebra Hills LodgeSouth Africa154 records
  7. Polokwane GRSouth Africa149 records

Countries and regions with the most records

South AfricaNamibiaKenyaUgandaTanzaniaZambiaMozambiqueZimbabwe

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 common scimitarbill (Rhinopomastus cyanomelas) is a species of bird in the family Phoeniculidae.

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

Questions

How big is the Common Scimitarbill?

The Common Scimitarbill is about 26 cm long and weighs around 27 g.

Where does the Common Scimitarbill live?

Its breeding range: Africa: southern, southeastern. It is most often recorded in South Africa, Namibia and Kenya.

When is the best time to see the Common Scimitarbill?

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

Is the Common Scimitarbill endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Common Scimitarbill as Least Concern.

What does the Common Scimitarbill eat?

Main food: Insects & other invertebrates.

What family is the Common Scimitarbill in?

It belongs to the family Wood Hoopoes (Phoeniculidae), order Bucerotiformes.

At a glance

Length
26 cm
Weight
27 g
Habitat
Grassland
Diet
Insects & other invertebrates
Lifestyle
Perches in trees
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
108 mm
Tail
147 mm
Bill
42 mm
Tarsus
18 mm

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

Range

Africa: southern, southeastern

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Family
Wood Hoopoes Phoeniculidae
Genus
Rhinopomastus

Other birds in the genus Rhinopomastus

Black ScimitarbillBlack ScimitarbillRhinopomastus aterrimusAbyssinian ScimitarbillAbyssinian ScimitarbillRhinopomastus minorForest Wood HoopoeForest Wood HoopoePhoeniculus castaneicepsWhite-headed Wood HoopoeWhite-headed Wood HoopoePhoeniculus bolleiGreen Wood HoopoeGreen Wood HoopoePhoeniculus purpureusBlack-billed Wood HoopoeBlack-billed Wood HoopoePhoeniculus somaliensisViolet Wood HoopoeViolet Wood HoopoePhoeniculus damarensis
Common Scimitarbill

Download illustration

Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Rogério Ferreira. ↗

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