The Greater Honeyguide (Indicator indicator) is a species of bird from the family Indicatoridae. Its English and scientific names refer to its habit of guiding people to bee colonies. They are a resident breeder in sub-Saharan Africa. It is found in a variety of habitats that have trees, especially dry open woodland.
The greater honeyguide is about 20 cm long and weighs about 50 g. Like all African honeyguides, it has bold white patches on the sides of the tail. The male has dark gray-brown upperparts and white underparts, along with a yellow shoulder patch. They have a distinctive black throat and a bright pink bill. The female is duller, lacks the black throat, and has a blackish bill. Immature birds are very distinctive, having olive-brown upperparts with a yellow breast and black bill.
As the name suggests, it is known to guide humans to the nests of wild bees. They are also believed to attract non-human animals as well, with the most common example being the honey badger. Guiding is more common among females and immatures, most likely due to males having territories with the most plentiful sources of food.
The honeyguides attract their attention by giving out a chattering call. If the bird gets a positive response from a willing honey-hunter, they lead them by flying in short stages, stopping frequently to check the progress of the followers. When they arrive at the beehive, they wait for the honey-hunters to immobilize the bees and collect the honey. After they take the honey, the honeyguide will be able to eat whatever is left over.