Lies, damned lies, and honey badgers

I recently wrote a piece about a bird called the greater honeyguide, whose chicks brutally murder those of other birds. But honeyguides are better known for a more helpful behaviour – leading humans to bee hives. The people break open the hives and leave behind an otherwise inaccessible piece of honey for the bird. In the post, I mentioned that the honeyguide also has an alliance with that darling of sillyinternet memes, the honey badger. I first heard that honeyguides lead honey badgers to bee hives when I was a child, and I've seen the fact repeated ever since. I have even seen footage of their interaction on a wildlife documentary. Others apparently have too. When I tweeted about my honeyguide post, Joe Hanson replied with “Typical of a honey badger ally.” Wikipedia, that font of all knowledge, says, “[Honeyguides] are also well known for leading the honey badger, or ...