From Opus

Photo by Gaukur
Maasai Mara, Kenya, January 2006

Trachyphonus darnaudii

Identification

Resembles the Crested Barbet and the Red-and-yellow Barbet but is smaller than both, lacks a crest and has no red in the face. The barbets get their name from the bristles which fringe their heavy bills.

Distribution

Usambiro Barbet
Photo by Andrew S
Kenya (probably Maasai Mara), September 1994

East Africa, including southeastern Sudan, northeastern Uganda, Kenya, northern Tanzania.

Taxonomy

Subspecies

Four subspecies recognized^[1]:

• T.d. darnaudii:

• South-eastern Sudan and south-western Ethiopia to north-eastern Uganda and west-central Kenya

• T.d. boehmi:

• Southern and eastern Ethiopia to southern Somalia, eastern Kenya and north-eastern Tanzania

• T.d. emini: Black-capped

• North-central Tanzania (east to Dar es Salaam suburbs)

• T.d. usambiro: Usambiro Barbet:

• South-western Kenya to north-central Tanzania

The last one is sometimes regarded as full species, Usambiro Barbet (Trachyphonus usambiro), but as Clements and Howard & Moore both don't accept this, we treat it as a subspecies.

Habitat

Wooded grassland with acacia bushes, dry scrubland and gardens.

Behaviour

Diet

The diet includes insects, fruits, and seeds.

Breeding

It nests in banks; a tunnel leads to the nesting chamber.

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. Kenyabirds
3. Wikipedia

• List of references

External Links