In certain regions of Africa, humans and the greater honeyguide bird have developed a unique relationship to find and collect honey from bee colonies. This collaboration benefits both species, as the bird helps locate hives, while humans share the honey with their feathered ally.
Recent research highlights the unique ways partnerships evolve and are sustained across different cultures. The study also reveals how birds adapt by learning vocal signals specific to various local communities.
Honeyguides thrive by finding bee colonies, as they enjoy feasting on the leftover honeycomb once humans have finished harvesting honey and beeswax.
The greater honeyguide thrives in the wooded savannas of southern Africa, characterized by its pink beak and understated plumage. Remarkably, this bird is one of the few species capable of consuming and digesting wax. In addition to honeycomb, its varied diet includes fruits, spiders, flying insects, and a wide range of larvae.
A recent study builds on earlier research from 2014, highlighting the advantageous relationship between honeyguides and the Hadza people. As a rare hunter-gatherer society, the Hadza’s bond with these birds reveals human-animal interactions.
The Hadza people inhabit Hadzaland, an area that spans the northern Tanzanian savanna and encompasses the saline shores of Lake Eyasi.
The exact timeline of their existence is uncertain. However, historical records show that the relationship between these communities and birds dates back to at least the 1500s in Africa. Currently, the habitats and hunting grounds of the Hadza people are shrinking. This is due to the expansion of maize farms, livestock grazing areas, and private game reserves.
Today, the Hadza population numbers around 1,300 individuals. Although many now work and buy food locally, 200 to 300 still rely on hunting and foraging. Their diet consists mainly of wild foods, including meat, tubers, fruits, and honey.
The Hadza people cherish honey as their primary food source, but locating beehives can be challenging since they are often perched high in the sturdy trunks of baobab trees. This is where honeyguides play a crucial role.
Honeyguides have significantly enhanced the Hadza’s ability to locate beehives, boosting their success rate by an impressive 560%. These birds guide the Hadza to nests that yield far more honey than the foragers could discover on their own. Research indicates that honeyguides play a vital role in the Hadza’s diet, contributing approximately 8% to 10% of their annual food intake.
Brian Wood, an anthropologist from UCLA, conducted a recent study in collaboration with Claire Spottiswoode, an ornithologist from the University of Cape Town.
They worked alongside the Hadza people in Tanzania and the Yao community in northern Mozambique. Their research explored the distinct methods each culture uses to attract honeyguides. It highlighted the unique practices and traditions of both groups.
The Hadza people have a unique way of communicating with birds, particularly when searching for honey. They use a distinctive whistling technique that signals their intent. In Mozambique, the Yao community uses a distinctive call that begins with a trilled ‘Brrr!’ followed by a deep ‘hmmm!’ When a honeyguide bird is close, it responds by flying into their camp and chattering, guiding them to honey. This fascinating interaction showcases the deep connection between these communities and their natural environment.
Next, they follow the bird’s journey until it settles in the right tree. Once there, they smoke out the bees, break open the hive, and collect the delicious honeycomb. The honeyguide stays nearby, eagerly waiting to feast on any leftover treats.
The research team analyzed the vocal signals of both communities through the application of mathematical models and audio playback experiments.
Research indicated that honeyguides in Tanzania showed a significant increase in cooperative behavior. Specifically, they exhibited a threefold increase when responding to the calls of the local Hadza community. This increase was notably higher compared to their responses to the calls of the Yao people.
In Mozambique, honeyguides displayed a notably stronger inclination to cooperate, responding nearly twice as frequently to the Yao call when compared to the Hadza call.
