Common Scimitarbill
Common ScimitarbillCommon ScimitarbillCommon ScimitarbillCommon Scimitarbill

Common Scimitarbill

Rhinopomastus cyanomelas

Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Masai Mara National Reserve
28 Verified sightings at Masai Mara National Reserve From 2019 to 2026
4,160 Verified sightings across all 43 parks From 2019 to 2026
February Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ 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 Masai Mara National Reserve

Abyssinian Scimitarbill
LC

Abyssinian Scimitarbill

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Rhinopomastus minor

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Green Wood Hoopoe
LC

Green Wood Hoopoe

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Phoeniculus purpureus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Southern Ground-Hornbill
VU

Southern Ground-Hornbill

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Bucorvus leadbeateri

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible
African Grey Hornbill
LC

African Grey Hornbill

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Lophoceros nasutus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Common Hoopoe
LC

Common Hoopoe

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Upupa epops

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
African Hoopoe

African Hoopoe

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Upupa africana

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Von der Decken's Hornbill
LC

Von der Decken's Hornbill

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tockus deckeni

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Black-and-white-casqued Hornbill
LC

Black-and-white-casqued Hornbill

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Bycanistes subcylindricus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Crowned Hornbill
LC

Crowned Hornbill

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Lophoceros alboterminatus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Northern Red-billed Hornbill
LC

Northern Red-billed Hornbill

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tockus erythrorhynchus

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data
Silvery-cheeked Hornbill
LC

Silvery-cheeked Hornbill

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Bycanistes brevis

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

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

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Common Scimitarbill in Masai Mara National Reserve?

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Common Scimitarbill sighting in Masai Mara National Reserve, based on 28 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Common Scimitarbill in Masai Mara National Reserve?

February has the highest sighting rate for Common Scimitarbill in Masai Mara National Reserve in our monthly data.

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