African Barbets
Barbets
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The Lybiidae family of birds comprises the African barbets. They were formerly sometimes united with their South American and Asian relatives in the Capitonidae (Short & Horne 2002), but this has been confirmed to be limited to the main South American lineage. There are 42 species ranging from the type genus Lybius of forest interior to the tinkerbirds (Pogoniulus) of forest and scrubland. They are found throughout sub-Saharan Africa, with the exception of the far south-west of South Africa.
The African terrestrial barbets, Trachyphoninae, range from the southern Sahara to South Africa. Comprised of one genus, Trachyphonus, they are the most open-country species of barbets. The subfamily Lybiinae contains the African arboreal barbets. There are 36 species of Lybiinae in six genera.
They are usually about 20-25cm long, plump-looking, with large heads, and their heavy bill is fringed with bristles; however the tinkerbirds are smaller, ranging down to the Red-rumped Tinkerbird (Pogoniulus atroflavus) with a mere 7 g and 9 cm (3.6 inches) in length.
They are mainly solitary birds, eating insects and fruit. Figs and numerous other species of fruiting tree and bush are visited, an individual barbet may feed on as many as 60 different species in its range. They will also visit plantations and take cultivated fruit and vegetables. Fruit is eaten whole and indigestible material such as seed pits regurgitated later (often before singing). Regurgitation does not usually happen in the nest (as happens with toucans), although tinkerbirds do place sticky mistletoe seeds around the entrances of their nests, possibly to deter predators. As the other barbets, they are thought to be important agents in seed dispersal in tropical forests.
As well as taking fruit, African barbets also take arthropod prey, gleaned from the branches and trunks of trees. A wide range on insects are taken, including ants, cicadas, dragonflies, crickets, locusts, beetles, moths and mantids. Scorpions and centipedes are also taken, and a few species will take small vertebrates such as lizards, frogs and geckos.
The precise nesting details of many African barbets are not yet known, although peculiarly among the Piciformes, some sociable species will nest in riverbanks or termite nests. Like many members of their order, Piciformes, their nests are in holes bored into a tree, and they usually between 2 to 4 eggs (except for the yellow-breasted barbet which lays up to 6), incubated for 13-15 days. Nesting duties are shared by both parents.
There has been generally little interference by humans. Some of the species which require primary woodland are declining due to deforestation, occasionally to the benefit of close relatives. For example the loss of highland woods in Kenya has seen the Moustached Green Tinkerbird almost disappear and the Red-fronted Tinkerbird expand its range.
Subfamily Lybiinae
- Genus Gymnobucco
- Naked-faced Barbets (Gymnobucco calvus): Found in Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Togo.
- Bristle-nosed Barbets (Gymnobucco peli): Found in Angola, Cameroon, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Togo.
- Sladen's Barbets (Gymnobucco sladeni): Found in Central African Republic and Democratic Republic of the Congo.
- Grey-throated Barbets (Gymnobucco bonapartei): Found in Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda.
- Genus Stactolaema
- White-eared Barbets (Stactolaema leucotis): Found in Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe.
- Anchieta's Barbets (Stactolaema anchietae): Found in Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Zambia.
- Whyte's Barbets (Stactolaema whytii): Found in Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
- Green Barbets (Stactolaema olivacea): It is found in Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, and Tanzania.
- Genus Pogoniulus - Tinkerbirds (9 species)
- Genus Buccanodon
- Yellow-spotted Barbets (Buccanodon duchaillui): It is monotypic within the genus Buccanodon. It is found in Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, and Uganda.
- Genus Tricholaema
- Hairy-breasted Barbets (Tricholaema hirsuta): It is found in Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, and Uganda.
- Red-fronted Barbets (Tricholaema diademata): The Red-fronted Barbet (Tricholaema diademata) is a species of bird in the Ramphastidae family. It is found in Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda.
- Miombo Barbets (Tricholaema frontata): Found in Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Tanzania, and Zambia.
- Pied Barbets (Tricholaema leucomelas): Found in Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
- Spot-flanked Barbets (Tricholaema lacrymosa): Found in Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia.
- Black-throated Barbets (Tricholaema melanocephala): Found in Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda.
- Genus Lybius
- Banded Barbets (Lybius undatus): Found in Eritrea and Ethiopia.
- Vieillot's Barbets (Lybius vieilloti): A resident breeder in the African scrubland on the southern edge of the Sahara Desert from Senegal to Ethiopia. It is an arboreal species of savannah and farmland which eats insects and fruit, especially figs. It nests in a tree hole, laying three eggs. This is a sparrow-sized barbet at 15 cm. It is a plump bird, with a short neck, large head and short tail. The adult has a red head, and the neck and breast are a mixture of red and white. The upperparts are dark brown apart from a yellow stripe down the back. The rest of the underparts are yellowish with dark flank spotting. The bill is thick and dark grey. Sexes are similar, but immature birds are duller. The call is a repetitive duet whoo-oop whoo-oop whoo-oop . This bird is named after the French ornithologist Louis Jean Pierre Vieillot.
- White-headed Barbets (Lybius leucocephalus): Found in Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Nigeria, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda.
- Chaplin's Barbets (Lybius chaplini): Endemic to Zambia. Its natural habitats are moist savanna and arable land. It is threatened by habitat loss.
- Red-faced Barbets (Lybius rubrifacies): Endemic to Zambia. Its natural habitats are moist savanna and arable land. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Black-billed Barbets (Lybius guifsobalito): Found in Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda. - Black-collared Barbets (Lybius torquatus): Found in Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
- Brown-breasted Barbets (Lybius melanopterus): Found in Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Somalia, and Tanzania.
- Black-backed Barbets (Lybius minor): Found in Angola, Burundi, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Malawi, Tanzania, and Zambia.
Double-toothed Barbets (Lybius bidentatus): Found in Angola, Benin, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, and Uganda.- Bearded Barbets (Lybius dubius)
- Black-breasted Barbets (Lybius rolleti): Found in Central African Republic, Chad, Sudan, and Uganda.
Subfamily Trachyphoninae
- Genus Trachyphonus
- Yellow-billed Barbets (Trachyphonus purpuratus): Found in Angola, Benin, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Togo, and Uganda.
- Crested Barbets (Trachyphonus vaillantii): Found in Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
- Yellow-breasted Barbets (Trachyphonus margaritatus): Found in Burkina Faso, Chad, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Somalia, and Sudan.
- Red-and-yellow Barbets (Trachyphonus erythrocephalus) (featured on the photo on top): Found in eastern Africa, from Sudan in the north to Tanzania in the south.
- 'Arnaud's Barbets (Trachyphonus darnaudii): The D'Arnaud's Barbet is a small east African bird that feeds off of insects, fruits, and seeds. It grows to about eight inches, and is equally at home in trees or on the ground. The barbet digs nests into the ground vertically.
- Usambiro Barbets (Trachyphonus usambiro): Found in Kenya and Tanzania.
It is not entirely resolved whether the Early to Middle Miocene (23-12 mya) genus Capitonides from Europe belongs to this family or the Asian barbets (now Megalaimidae). Indeed, gien that the prehistoric birds somewhat resembled a primitive toucan (without these birds' present autapomorphies), they might occupy a more basal position among the barbet-toucan clade altogether.
References
- LL Short, JFM Horne (2002) Family Capitonidae (barbets). in del Hoyo J., Elliott A. & Christie D.A. (2004) Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 7. Jamacars to Woodpeckers Lynx Edicions, Barcelona ISBN 84-87334-37-7
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