- Trachyphonus darnaudii
Includes: Usambiro Barbet, Emin's Barbet or Black-capped Barbet
Identification
16–19 cm (6¼-7½ in) The barbets get their name from the bristles which fringe their heavy bills.
- mantle, back, wings and tail blackish brown with extensive white spots. The spots form irregular whitish bars on the flight feathers and upper tail.
- forehead to crown may have a black cap, or have yellowish feathers with dark tips (i.e. similar to rest of head: this is subspecies dependent)
- loral area generally black or dark
- head, throat and chest yellow, with dark tipped feathers. May show an orange suffusion on the face or chest (subspecies dependent)
- collar bordering (below) chest blackish, made up of black feathers with white tips. Extent varies with subspecies
- belly variably whitish or with a yellowish suffusion
- under wing dark
- under tail pale with dark feather tips forming irregular bars. Central tail feathers dark
- vent area with variable amount of red
- bill pale or dark (subspecies and to an extent seasonally dependent)
- eye dark
- legs and feet greyish
(Description based on analysis of references [2], [5], [6])
Similar Species
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.
Variation
The differences between Usambiro and Black-capped forms are discussed in a Birdforum thread [2].
Distribution
East Africa, including southeastern Sudan, northeastern Uganda, Kenya, northern Tanzania.
Taxonomy
Some authors elevate subspecies usambiro as "Usambiro Barbet", T. usambiro. Subspecies emini can be elevated as "Emin's Barbet" or "Black-capped Barbet", T. emini.
Subspecies
Clements recognises the following subspecies [1]:
- T.d. darnaudii: South-eastern South Sudan and south-western Ethiopia to north-eastern Uganda and west-central Kenya. [bill pale; cap blackish; bib usually strongly developed, black; face may show an orange suffusion; collar reduced; underparts often with yellowish tinge (or whitish); extensive vent area red]
- T.d. boehmi: Southern and eastern Ethiopia to southern Somalia, eastern Kenya and north-eastern Tanzania. [bill pale; cap heavy, black; face may show an orange suffusion; bib and collar reduced, black; vent area with extensive red]
- T.d. emini: "Emin's Barbet" North-central Tanzania (east to Dar es Salaam suburbs). [bill pale; cap heavy, black; face may show an orange suffusion; bib and collar heavy, black; belly whitish; vent area with extensive red]
- T.d. usambiro: "Usambiro Barbet": South-western Kenya to north-central Tanzania, [bill dark grey or blackish; bib reduced. black; chest may show orange suffusion; collar strong, blackish; cap black, lacking or very reduced; belly whitish; vent area with reduced area of red]
Habitat
Photo by nick scarle
Tarangire NP, Tanzania, November 2017
Wooded grassland with acacia bushes, dry scrubland and gardens.
(Subspecies description based on analysis of references [2], [5], [6])
Behaviour
Diet
Omnivorous. The diet includes many types of insects, fruits, and seeds.
Breeding
They nest in banks; a tunnel leads to the nesting chamber.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2017. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2017, with updates to August 2017. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Birdforum thread discussing the difference between Usambiro and other forms
- Kenyabirds
- Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved March 2016)
- African Bird Club Image Database. Available at https://www.africanbirdclub.org/image-database/
- Macauley Library at https://www.macaulaylibrary.org
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) D'Arnaud's Barbet. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 29 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/D%27Arnaud%27s_Barbet
External Links
GSearch checked for 2020 platform.1
