Common Scimitarbill

Rhinopomastus cyanomelas

Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassAves (Birds)
OrderBucerotiformes (Hornbills and Hoopoes)
FamilyPhoeniculidae (Woodhoopoes and Scimitarbills)
GenusRhinopomastus (Scimitarbills)
SpeciesRhinopomastus cyanomelas (Common Scimitarbill)

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

at Amboseli National Park

3 Verified sightings at Amboseli National Park From 2019 to 2026

4,160 Verified sightings across all 43 parks From 2019 to 2026

☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Common Scimitarbill

The common scimitarbill (Rhinopomastus cyanomelas) is a species of bird in the family Phoeniculidae. It is found in Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eswatini, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Somalia, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Adults weigh roughly 35 grams and 26 cm in length. As adults, their beaks are black but as juveniles, their beaks are grey. Females and juveniles are more brown on the front of their body. They feed almost entirely on insects behind the bark of a tree, which is the reason for their probing beak.

(Scimitarbilled woodhoopoe=) Common scimitarbill – Species text in The Atlas of Southern African Birds. Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Amboseli National Park

Rhinopomastus minor

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Phoeniculus purpureus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Upupa epops

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Upupa africana

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Tockus deckeni

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Tockus erythrorhynchus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Lophoceros nasutus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Bucorvus leadbeateri

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Tockus flavirostris

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

See all 9 relatives Show fewer

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

#	Park	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Gonarezhou National Park	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	~30%
2	Liwonde National Park	🇲🇼 Malawi	~20%
3	Mana Pools National Park	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	~20%
4	Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~20%
5	Akagera National Park	🇷🇼 Rwanda	~20%
6	Waterberg Plateau Park	🇳🇦 Namibia	~20%
7	Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~20%
8	Kafue National Park	🇿🇲 Zambia	~20%
9	Kruger National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~20%
10	Lower Zambezi National Park	🇿🇲 Zambia	~20%
11	Lake Mburo National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	~20%
12	Tsavo East National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~20%
13	Mikumi National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~10%
14	Gorongosa National Park	🇲🇿 Mozambique	~10%
15	Ruaha National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~10%
16	South Luangwa National Park	🇿🇲 Zambia	~10%
17	Queen Elizabeth National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	~10%
18	Meru National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~10%
19	Etosha National Park	🇳🇦 Namibia	~10%
20	Namib-Naukluft National Park	🇳🇦 Namibia	~10%
21	Lake Nakuru National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~10%
22	Lake Manyara National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~10%
23	Hwange National Park	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	~10%
24	Moremi Game Reserve	🇧🇼 Botswana	~10%
25	Chobe National Park	🇧🇼 Botswana	<5%
26	Arusha National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	<5%
27	Virunga National Park	🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo	<5%
28	iSimangaliso Wetland Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	<5%
29	Serengeti National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	<5%
30	Ngorongoro Conservation Area	🇹🇿 Tanzania	<5%
31	Tarangire National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	<5%
32	Tsavo West National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	<5%
33	Masai Mara National Reserve	🇰🇪 Kenya	<5%
34	Murchison Falls National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	<5%
35	Nairobi National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	<5%
36	Bwindi Impenetrable National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	<5%
37	Selous Game Reserve	🇹🇿 Tanzania	Insufficient data
38	Mkomazi National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	Insufficient data
39	Pilanesberg National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	Insufficient data
40	Aberdare National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	Insufficient data
41	Samburu National Reserve	🇰🇪 Kenya	Insufficient data
42	Amboseli National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	Insufficient data
43	Kibale National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	Insufficient data

← Back to Amboseli National Park

Common Scimitarbill

About the Common Scimitarbill

Recent sightings of Common Scimitarbill in Amboseli National Park

Closest Relatives at Amboseli National Park

Abyssinian Scimitarbill

Green Wood Hoopoe

Common Hoopoe

African Hoopoe

Von der Decken's Hornbill

Northern Red-billed Hornbill

African Grey Hornbill

Southern Ground-Hornbill

Eastern Yellow-billed Hornbill

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found