What is the relationship of a honeyguide bird and badger?
What Is The Special Relationship Between A Honey Guide And A Honey Badger?
Both the honey badger, a small mammal, and the honey guide, a bird, live on the savannahs in Africa. They have a special relationship that is classed as symbiotic as both benefit from it without harming each other. The honey guide loves to eat the wax from bees nests but does not have the strength to break open the bees nest to obtain it.
When the bird locates a nest, it then goes looking for a honey badger. The bird goes up to the badger and flaps its wings. The badger understands this signal perfectly and follows. When the two approach the nest, the honey guide stops flapping and calling and the honey guide takes this as a signal that the nest is near.
It digs around until it finds the nest and then rips it apart, eating the honey and the grubs inside. The bird flies down and feasts on the wax.
When the bird locates a nest, it then goes looking for a honey badger. The bird goes up to the badger and flaps its wings. The badger understands this signal perfectly and follows. When the two approach the nest, the honey guide stops flapping and calling and the honey guide takes this as a signal that the nest is near.
It digs around until it finds the nest and then rips it apart, eating the honey and the grubs inside. The bird flies down and feasts on the wax.