Black-throated Barbet

Photo by volker sthamer
Ethiopia, February, 2017

Tricholaema melanocephala

Identification

• Broad white supercilium
• Elongated yellow spots on upperparts
• Faint yellow on rump
• Black bill

Distribution

Eastern Africa: found in Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Somalia, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.

Taxonomy

Subspecies

Subspecies stigmatothorax
Photo by megan perkins
Lake Baringo, Kenya, December 2006

There are 4 subspecies^[1]:

• T. m. melanocephala:

• Northern and central Ethiopia, Djibouti and north-western Somalia

• T. m. stigmatothorax:

• South-eastern Sudan, southern Ethiopia and southern Somalia to Kenya and Tanzania

• T. m. blandi:

• North-central and north-eastern Somalia

• T. m. flavibuccalis:

• North-central Tanzania (Seronera region and Wembere steppes)

Habitat

Trees and shrubs in dry area reserves below 1500m.

Behaviour

The diet includes fruit, especially figs, as well as insects which are gleaned or caught aerially.

References

1. Clements, JF. 2011. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to August 2011. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/downloadable-clements-checklist
2. Avibase
3. Kenyabirds
4. Tanzaniabirds

• List of references

Recommended Citation

• BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Black-throated Barbet. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 19 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Black-throated_Barbet

External Links

Search for photos of Black-throated Barbet in the gallery