What is "honeybird"

Honey \Hon"ey\ (h[u^]n"[y^]), n. [OE. honi, huni, AS. hunig; akin to OS. honeg, D. & G. honig, OHG. honag, honang, Icel. hunang, Sw. h[*a]ning, Dan. honning, cf. Gr. ko`nis dust, Skr. ka[.n]a grain.]

1. A sweet viscid fluid, esp. that collected by bees from flowers of plants, and deposited in the cells of the honeycomb.

2. That which is sweet or pleasant, like honey.

   The honey of his language.
   --Shak.

3. Sweet one; -- a term of endearment.
   --Chaucer.

   Honey, you shall be well desired in Cyprus.
   --Shak.

   Note: Honey is often used adjectively or as the first part of compound; as, honeydew or honey dew; honey guide or honeyguide; honey locust or honey-locust.

   Honey ant (Zo["o]l.), a small ant ( Myrmecocystus melliger), found in the Southwestern United States, and in Mexico, living in subterranean formicares. There are larger and smaller ordinary workers, and others, which serve as receptacles or cells for the storage of honey, their abdomens becoming distended to the size of a currant. These, in times of scarcity, regurgitate the honey and feed the rest.

   Honey badger (Zo["o]l.), the ratel.

   Honey bear. (Zo["o]l.) See Kinkajou.

   Honey buzzard (Zo["o]l.), a bird related to the kites, of the genus Pernis. The European species is Pernis apivorus; the Indian or crested honey buzzard is Pernis ptilorhyncha. They feed upon honey and the larv[ae] of bees. Called also bee hawk, bee kite.

   Honey guide (Zo["o]l.), one of several species of small birds of the family Indicatorid[ae], inhabiting Africa and the East Indies. They have the habit of leading persons to the nests to wild bees. Called also honeybird, and indicator.

   Honey harvest, the gathering of honey from hives, or the honey which is gathered.
   --Dryden.

   Honey kite. (Zo["o]l.) See Honey buzzard (above).

   Honey locust (Bot.), a North American tree ( Gleditschia triacanthos), armed with thorns, and having long pods with a sweet pulp between the seeds.

   Honey month. Same as Honeymoon.

   Honey weasel (Zo["o]l.), the ratel.

n. Any of several drab honeyguides, of the genus ''Prodotiscus'', from sub-Saharan Africa

Honeybirds are birds in the genus Prodotiscus of the honeyguide family. They are confined to sub-Saharan Africa.

They are all drab coloured birds, with grey or grey-green upperparts, and grey to whitish-grey underparts. They are among the smallest members of the honeyguide family. They have slender bills compared to other members of the family.

Unlike other honeyguides they do not feed on beeswax.

They parasitise nests of cisticolas, sunbirds and other dome-nesting bird species.

There are three species:

• Brown-backed honeybird Prodotiscus regulus
• Green-backed honeybird Prodotiscus zambesiae
• Cassin's honeybird Prodotiscus insignis

Category:Birds of Africa Category:Birds of Sub-Saharan Africa Category:Honeyguides