Abyssinian scimitarbill

The males coloring tends to be more blue, whereas the females have more brown tones especially in the head.[4] Males also tend to be a slightly larger than females. Their bill length is (Male: 3.33 cm; Female: 2.78 cm) Their tail length is (Male:10.7 cm; Female: 9.5 cm). Their body mass is around 22-28g with the males being on the heavier end.[5]

The species has a breeding range is around the equator with minimum to maximum latitudes of -9.01 to 11.78 degrees.[6]

The species has a combined total of around 20 000km² of territorial range, although this area is largely fragmented.[9] While the population is declining, it appears to be at a rate of only 5% over three generations and therefore the bird is considered of least concern.[2]

The Abyssian Scimitarbill Rhinopomastus minor and the Common Scimitarbill Rhinopomastus cyanomelas both emit sharp cries and an unpleasant odor to deter predators (Hedley & Caro, 2022). Their warning calls sound like a series of rising notes "dok"[4] Other calls sound like shrill elongated chirps which rise and then fall minutely in pitch over the course of around eight to twelve chirps. Their song sounds similar to their calls, but with more silence between chirps. Listen here

The bird is insectivorous and eats mostly adult and live insects such as beetles, larvae, caterpillars, ants, flies and wasps. They will also eat seeds and berries. While much research has been done on the species, it has been observed to nest in abandoned bee nests, although it does not consume honey or other bee products.[3]

The bird is a monogamous solitary nester. The age of their first breeding is on average 1.23 years with an average clutch size of 2.5 eggs. The adults have an annual survival rate of 0.66 and the average length of a generation is 2.89 years.[2] They typically nest in holes or fissures, sometimes excavated by other species. This includes holes in trees and sometimes abandoned bees’ nests that are found a height of around 0.5-2m from the ground.[3] The cabanisi race has a strong preference for breeding in the dry season.[3]

The greater honeyguide (Indicator indicator) will occasionally parasitize the nest of the Scimitarbill. The exact frequency and effect that this relationship has on the species is not fully documented but there are several observations on clutch success rates different years.

In one case from June to July 2009 a pair raised three young in a nest box at Green park.  In another case, in June to July 2009 three young were raised by a pair of birds in a nest box at Greenwood Park Estate, Eburru, near Naivasha (0°40´S 36°12´E, 2150m). However, in another instance between October 2009 to July 2012,  a pair of birds laid a total of 33 eggs (11 clutches of 3) over 3 years. However, none of these eggs survived because the Greater Honeyguide (Indicator indicator) parasitized all the clutches. During the tree year period, no scimitarbills hatched, while 7 out of a total of 12 of the parasitic honeyguide eggs successfully fledged. On four cases out of eleven, the scimitarbills ejected all eggs from the nest. Later from August 2012-September 2014, four clutches (12 eggs total) were laid without any honeyguides, and all but one individual was successfully fledged.[10]