Honeyguide
Of the numerous mutualistic relationships found in Africa’s wild places, the honeyguide bird has surely got to be one of the more recognised ones. Many stories abound in folktales about considering this birds guidance to places of honey. Misfortune would surely follow the one who did not leave a piece of honey comb or honey for this birds’ help in locating the bees nest.
Curiously enough, it also has the distinction of being a brood parasite -- a female will lay an egg in the nest of another birds nest, preferring nests in hollows of trees. The young honeyguide after hatching and still blind would then use a special membranous hook on its beak to kill off any other young in the nest. This ensures a greater success rate for new generations of birds, whilst reducing the need of adults to spend time raising young.
Although not exclusively reliant on honey and beeswax, it certainly favours the sweet taste of it. While not looking for honey it can be found searching for insects, termites or bee larvae, sometimes seen in mixed groupings with other birds following the movement of animals as they unknowingly flush out insects in the grass.
I suppose its association with certain mammals in leading them to bees nests may be based on occassional sightings of the two together at nest sights. Most people might be aware that the Honey Badger (Mellivora capensis) also favours a sweet feast of honey. And will readily try its luck against the stings of fierce african bees. So its only natural to think that this bird had something to do with guiding the badger. Its possible, but I wouldn’t say factual.
I’m more likely to think the honeyguide bird will try its luck with any mammal which regularly associates with bees and honey. And one such mammal is the Human. Very likely from early on in our history we enjoyed the taste of honey, and so regularly sought out bees nests, smoking them out in the early morning and taking their precious food reserves. The young honeyguide bird, eager for bee eggs, honey or larva would quickly be alerted to passing humans in its area.
Bee keepers have had a long and uncomfortable relationship with the honey badger, relentlessly pursuing this mammal in order to preserve their livelihood. Such persecution has caused badger populations to drop to near threatened in southern Africa (Red Data Book for Mammals). In the two years I spent working in the Kalahari I must have seen only a handful of badgers, and every sighting was at night. A clear indication of badgers avoiding human contact and of their very low numbers.
The Badger Friendly initiative was established to help highlight the plight of Badgers from ruthless killing by beekeepers. Retailers who promote this can be recognised by their products displaying “badger-friendly” on their products. Only labels displaying EWT, Green Trust or WESSA should be trusted. This initiative is South African based -- for information on badger-friendly products in your country enquire with the in-country WWF branch. .. ..
