How do young honey guides affect the chicks of their host birds?

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downy woodpecker — Piciform Downy woodpecker (*Dendrocopos pubescens*).

Honey guides are members of the order Piciformes. Certain species within this family are brood parasites, meaning they lay their eggs in the nests of other birds, such as barbets or woodpeckers.

When a honey guide hatchling emerges in a host's nest, it utilizes a pair of temporary, sharp bill hooks to kill or injure the host's own chicks. This behavior ensures that the parasitic chick faces less competition for food and resources provided by the foster parents.1