ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Greater honeyguide

Okay kiddo, today we're going to talk about a very special bird called the greater honeyguide. This bird is found in Africa and is known for its unique behavior of guiding humans to the nests of wild honeybees.

Now, let me explain how this works. The way it starts is when a person makes a certain whistling noise or call, the greater honeyguide bird hears it and will come to them. The bird will then start flying in a certain direction, looking back to make sure the person is following.

As they walk, the bird will continue to fly ahead, sometimes stopping to wait for the person to catch up. Eventually, the bird will lead the person to a hive filled with delicious honey. Once the person collects honey, they will leave some behind for the bird as a thank you.

Now, I know what you're thinking - how does the bird know where the honey is? Well, scientists think that the greater honeyguide is able to locate bee hives by listening to the sounds of bees and looking for signs of beeswax on trees. They then use their special call to communicate with people and guide them to the honey.

Isn't that amazing? In Africa, people and the greater honeyguide have been working together for many years to collect honey. It's a mutual relationship where both the bird and the person benefit. The bird gets its share of the honey and the person gets a delicious treat!