Abyssinian Scimitarbill

About the Abyssinian Scimitarbill

The Abyssinian scimitarbill (Rhinopomastus minor) is a species of bird in the family Phoeniculidae. The term Abyssinia, is an old name for the region of Ethiopia, and scimitar refers to a curved sword, which its bill resembles. It is found in Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda. The bird is non migratory, diurnal, and terrestrial. Their nests are sometimes parasitized by the greater honeyguide (Indicator indicator) which are favored by some because they can guide to beehives.

The bird is all black with a blue-purple iridescence which covers their whole body and especially the back of the head. The bird's beak is bright orange to red and is characteristically curved and pointed. It is slightly longer than the length of its head and is built to probe into cracks and crevices for insects. It can be differentiated from other wood hoopoes by its all black legs and shorter tail, which is about the length of the bird's body excluding its head.

The males coloring tends to be more blue, whereas the females have more brown tones especially in the head. Males also tend to be slightly larger than females. Their bill length... Wikipedia →