Bird watching in Africa - D'Arnaud's Barbet, Trachyphonus darnaudii

D'Arnaud's Barbet (Trachyphonus darnaudii) is an African barbet. Barbets and toucans are a group of near passerine birds with a worldwide tropical distribution. The barbets get their name from the bristles which fringe their heavy bills. Four geographical races (darnaudii, böhmi, emini and usambiro) have been recorded.

D'Arnaud's barbet is a small East African bird that feeds on insects, fruits, and seeds. It grows to about eight inches, and is equally at home in trees or on the ground. A vertical tunnel two to three feet into the ground with a sideways and upward turn leads to the nest chamber. In a striking dance the male and female face each on nearby twigs and twitch, bob and sing like mechanical toys.

Range map from www.oiseaux.net - Ornithological Portal Oiseaux.net

www.oiseaux.net is one of those MUST visit pages if you're in to bird watching. You can find just about everything there

Length:

19 cm

Wingspan:

Weight:

17 - 51 g

Longevity:

13 Years

Distinctive Feature

•

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.

From opus at www.birdforum.net the forum for wild birds and birding.

Listen to the D'Arnaud's Barbet

Sound from www.xeno-canto.org

Remarks from the Recordist

"Usambiro Barbet" Same (pair) as on XC429969 . Dried out river a couple of miles from the lodge with dense vegetation

Conservation status

Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN. 2013. Retrieved 26 November 2013.

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