Common Scimitarbill (Rhinopomastus cyanomelas) [XC311698]
by Toby Esplin from Malawi - Vwaza Marsh NP, north entrance, nr Rumphi, Northern Region, Malawi (call)
Common Scimitarbill (Rhinopomastus cyanomelas) [XC715835]
by Dries Van de Loock from Pomfret, Bophirima, North West, South Africa (call)
Subspecies
Forms a superspecies with Black Scimitar-bill (Rhinopomastus aterrimus) and are sometimes considered conspecific. Differences suggest they are probably better treated as separate species.
Birds from Zimbabwe, southern Mozambique and eastern South Africa (Transvaal, Zululand), described as intermedius, now regarded as inseparable from schalowi.
The following 2 subspecies are recognised:
schalowi Neumann, 1900 - Western Uganda, western and central Kenya and southern Somalia south to Zambia and western Natal.
cyanomelas (Vieillot, 1819) - South-western Angola and Namibia east to Transvaal.