The marvel of mutualism
Greater Honeyguides learn the culturally determined signals of local human partners
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breeding|brood parasite|Cape Bulbul|chick|Claire Spottiswoode|Crowned Lapwings|Dawie de Swardt|eggs|Familiar Chat|feeding|Jennifer Lean|mimicry|Natasha Venter|parasites|Red-chested Cuckoo|Shirlee Smit|Yellow-billed Duck
Big little liars
“It’s the start of the rains in southern Zambia and a small, glossy black finch is singing incessantly from
the top of an exposed tree. The song is mostly a hurried ramble of chatters and scratchy warbles, but
occasionally the bird intersperses trills and tinkling notes that sound nearly identical to those of a local
species of firefinch. This seemingly inconsequential observation hints at a fascinating evolutionary
story unfolding in woodlands and savannas throughout Africa.”
Wanted: Greater Honeyguide sightings
animal–human cooperation|brood parasite|citizen science|Claire Spottiswoode|collaborate|FitzPatrick Institute|FitzPatrick Report|honey|Jessica van der Wal|mutualism|University of Cambridge|wax