Barbet Species found in Uganda

Let’s explore the fascinating world of Barbet Species found in Uganda. These colourful and charismatic birds are a delight for birdwatchers. Uganda is home to approximately 17 species of Barbets out of the 84 species found worldwide. These birds are known for their amazing colours, large heads, and distinctive heavy bills. Barbets usually exhibit bright, red, yellow and black colours, making them stand out in the forests and wide spread savannahs. Their plumage can vary from species to species, with combinations of yellowish Green , red, black, Grey and other vibrant hues. Barbets inhabit a variety of ecosystems, including woodlands, savannas, cultivated areas, and thick forests and their edges. They are often seen in pairs or small family groups.

Barbet species found in Uganda are frugivorous, feeding on a mix of fruits and insects. They forage in the foliage, searching for ripe fruits and capturing insects by the wings. Some species even consume seeds from fruits. Barbets are known for their distinctive calls. These can range from repetitive, churring sounds to melodious phrases. Some species engage in duetting, creating harmonious melodies. These charming birds contribute to the rich avian diversity of Uganda’s woodlands and forests.

Some of the barbet species found in Uganda include:

• The Yellow-spotted Barbet (Buccanodon duchaillui)

This is a captivating bird species found in Uganda and several other African countries. Let’s explore more about this delightful barbet:

Description: The Yellow-spotted Barbet is a distinctive, well-patterned medium-sized barbet. Its plumage is mostly black with a red patch on the forehead and a pale yellow stripe behind the eye. The back and belly are adorned with heavy yellow markings. You’ll find this barbet in humid forests at low and middle canopies. It somewhat resembles the Hairy-breasted Barbet, but the Yellow-spotted Barbet is smaller overall, has a smaller bill, and features a red forehead in the fully grown species

There are two vocalizations: a very fast, hollow trill and a much slower and lower-pitched series of several hoots. Interestingly, the trilling call seems to predominate in the eastern part of its range, while the hooting call is more common in the west

• The Hairy-breasted Barbet (Tricholaema hirsuta)

This is a captivating bird species found in Uganda and several other African countries

Description: The Hairy-breasted Barbet is a species of bird in the family Lybiidae. Its length is 17–18 cm (6.7–7.1 inches), and it weighs 43–63 g (1.5–2.2 oz). The male has a blue-black head with a white superciliary line and a white malar stripe. The upperparts are black with yellow spots on the back and yellow bars on the rump.

The throat is black, and the breast and flanks are yellow with black markings. The wings are brown-black, with some feathers having yellow edges. The beak is black, and the legs are grey. The eyes are red or red-brown. The dorsal markings and underparts of the female are more golden yellow. The immature has laxer plumage, with paler and sparser spots on the upperparts and more barred black markings on the vent. Different subspecies exhibit variations in head patterns and colouration

Distribution and Habitat: The Hairy-breasted Barbet is found in lowland primary forests and also enters older secondary forests. Its habitat ranges from Sierra Leone to south-central Nigeria, southern Nigeria to central Gabon, southern Gabon to northern Angola, and eastern Cameroon and the east of the DRC to western Kenya and northwestern Tanzania.

It usually feeds singly or in pairs. The Hairy-breasted Barbet’s calls include a very fast, hollow trill and a slower and lower-pitched series of several hoots. Geographically, the trilling call predominates in the eastern part of its range, while the hooting call is more common in the west.

• The White-headed Barbet (Lybius leucocephalus)

This is a captivating bird species found in Uganda, as well as other African countries. Here are some details about this delightful barbet:

Description: The White-headed Barbet is a species of bird in the family Lybiidae. It has a striking appearance with a white head, a black body, and a bright red bill. You can spot it in various habitats, including woodlands, savannas, and cultivated areas. Listen for its melodious calls echoing through the dense foliage.

White-headed Barbets actively forage for insects and fruits. They are usually found in pairs. White-headed Barbets defend their territories by calling loudly and chasing away intruders. At night, they roost communally in tree cavities, sharing the same hole with other barbets.

• The Black-collared Barbet (Lybius torquatus)

This is a captivating bird species found in Uganda and several other African countries, including Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Here are some details about this delightful barbet species found in Uganda:

Description: The Black-collared Barbet usually measures about 20–25 cm long, appearing plump with a large head. It has a very obvious black collar and head, which gives reference to its name. Additionally, it boasts a fire-engine red colour around the eyes and beak.

This barbet species found in Uganda has morphologically variable colouring because there is a replacement of ared head with a black head. It also has a more intense colour and is larger than other barbets.

Interestingly, this bird is sexually monomorphic, which means that there is generally no phenotypic difference between the males and females of this species. Their morphology, size, and behaviour are the same.

Behaviour and Calls: The Black-collared Barbet is one of the many duetting species in the genus Lybius, and it regularly uses duetting in its day-to-day life. There are no solitary song instances heard from this species. The repertoire of the duets does not vary greatly.

This species is readily recognized by its loud duet, commonly rendered as “too-puddly too-puddly too-puddly” or “too-doodle too-doodle,” accompanied by wing-flicking. During duets, the birds face each other, lean forward, and bow ceremoniously while calling.

The “too-puddly” song is an antiphonal duet, where one bird sings the first note, followed by the other bird in the pair singing the second note. To bystanders, it sounds like a seamless melody from a single bird. The time between when one bird stops singing to when the other bird in the pair picks the song up is called the auditory response time for the duet.

• The Black-billed Barbet (Lybius guifsobalito)

Description: The Black-billed Barbet is a medium-sized bird with a mostly red head, glossy blue-black wings, and a black body. The wings and belly are slightly more brown. It has a bright red or red-orange face, throat, and upper chest. The upperwings are narrowly lined with yellow to white. The beak is strong and black, and the eyes are reddish-brown.

These barbets are closely related to the Black-collared Barbet and the Red-faced Barbet. Both males and females have similar body measurements without noticeable sexual dimorphism. Black-billed Barbets occur at altitudes between 900 and 2,200 metres above sea level. They inhabit open forests, forest edges, woodland vegetation, savannah, scrubs, gardens, and cultivated areas with fruit-bearing trees.

Their diet mainly consists of fruits such as figs, guavas, papayas, and various berries. They also consume insects like beetles, ants, and termites. These barbets usually live in pairs or small groups, with up to seven individuals. Their calls include a low growling and a series of two-syllabled “koop-pup” phrases.

• The Black-breasted Barbet (Pogonornis rolleti)

Description: The Black-breasted Barbet is a species of bird in the Lybiidae family. It is found in woodlands of the eastern Sahel, occurring between 200 metres and 1200 metres altitude (and as high as 2134 metres in western Sudan). This frugivorous barbet is known to frequent fig trees in Zakouma National Park during the dry season. While their movements during the wet season are unknown, they are not presumed to be migratory.

• The Double-toothed Barbet (Pogonornis bidentatus)

This is a captivating bird species found in Uganda and several other African countries, including 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, South Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, and Uganda. Let’s explore more about this delightful barbet:

Description and Habitat: The Double-toothed Barbet is a large, colourful barbet with a huge ivory-colored bill. It is usually found in the vicinity of fig trees and inhabits a variety of habitats, including woodlands, gardens, cultivated areas, and forest edges. Most often, it is seen in pairs or small groups.

Double-toothed Barbets primarily feed on fruits and insects. When foraging, they search in the foliage, usually staying below ten meters. Insects like beetles, termites, ants, and Hemiptera are part of their diet. Interestingly, they may capture winged ants or termites while in flight.

Fruits such as figs, papayas, and avocados, as well as those from the umbrella tree (Musanga) and Solanum are also on their menu. Some Double-toothed Barbets even consume the seeds of certain fruits. These barbets are often found in pairs or small family groups with helpers, and lone individuals are rare. Their territories are large.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• The Crested Barbet (Trachyphonus vaillantii)

Description: The Crested Barbet is a big, conspicuous, and colourful Barbet. It has a yellow face and breast that are speckled with black, and a red under tail. There is considerable geographical variation in the amount of black on the crown, throat, and breast band, as well as in the colour of the belly, which can be yellow or white.

With its thick bill and very colourful plumage, the Crested Barbet is unmistakable. It has a small black crest and a broad black band on its neck.

The wings are black with white specks, and the belly is yellow with red speckles. These barbets are usually seen in pairs or small groups. Their call is an incessant, unmusical, dry, insect-like trill that rises towards the end. The Crested Barbet feeds on insects, other birds’ eggs, and fruits. It moves slowly through the lower strata of trees or hops on the ground while foraging.

Breeding: They nest in holes in trees or logs in suburban gardens. Crested Barbets are monogamous and territorial during breeding. One to five eggs are laid at daily intervals between September and December. Incubation lasts between 13 and 17 days, mainly by the female.

The young hatch naked and blind, and they are fed insects by both parents. They fledge after about 31 days, and up to five broods have been recorded in a breeding season. Crested Barbets are found singly or in pairs. They like to bounce around on the ground looking for food and usually call from a branch out in the open. They roost in holes in trees and are very vocal, with calls that can continue for long periods. They are aggressive towards other birds in their territory and chase off nest competitors and other birds.

• 

  The Eastern Yellow-billed Barbet (Trachyphonus purpuratus)

Description and Habitat: The Eastern Yellow-billed Barbet is a large, brightly-coloured barbet found in forests and forest edges. It is distinctive with its bright yellow bill, dark head, back, and tail, and bright yellow belly. There is significant regional variation within the species, and throat colour can vary from dark blue-purple to lavender depending on the subspecies.

Behaviour and Diet: Eastern Yellow-billed Barbets primarily feed on fruits and insects. When foraging, they search in the foliage, usually staying below ten meters. Insects like beetles, termites, ants, and Hemiptera are part of their diet. Interestingly, they may capture winged ants or termites while in flight.

Fruits such as figs, papayas, avocados, and those from the umbrella tree (Musanga) and Solanum are also on their menu. Some Eastern Yellow-billed Barbets even consume the seeds of certain fruits. These barbets are often found in pairs or small family groups with helpers, and lone individuals are rare. Their territories are large.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• The Red-faced Barbet (Lybius rubrifacies)

This is a captivating Barbet species found in Uganda, Rwanda and Northwest Tanzania,. Let’s explore more about this delightful barbet:

Description: The Red-faced Barbet is one of the smaller species within the Lybius genus, measuring only 17 cm (6.7 inches) in length. Its most distinctive feature is the red colouring on the side of its face and around the eye, contrasting with the black dorsal side of its head. The entire body of the Red-faced Barbet is black, and its wings are streaked with yellow. Interestingly, this barbet exhibits sexual monomorphism, meaning that both males and females share similar morphology, size, and behaviour.

Habitat: You can find the Red-faced Barbet in various habitats, including dry savanna, moist savanna, and arable land. Unfortunately, this species faces threats due to habitat loss

Behaviour and Calls: Red-faced Barbets utilise duets for communication with mates and other individuals. Duet singing is intricately timed and can be quite complex. It takes time for the birds to develop their unique version of a particular song.

These barbets use antiphonal duets in pairs, with each bird having distinct sexual duet roles after the greeting ceremony. Pair duets are crucial for establishing and maintaining territories and breeding success. To synchronise duets and hold territories, Red-faced Barbets must find suitable mates within their species.

 

• 

  The Grey-headed (Throated) Barbet (Gymnobucco bonapartei)

Description: The Grey-Throated Barbet is relatively small among the barbets, measuring 20-25 cm (7.9-9.8 inches) in length and weighing between 45-75 grams. It has a distinctive appearance with a big head and a heavy, bristled bill. The bird’s throat is grey, which contrasts beautifully with its black body. You can spot this barbet in tropical forests such as Kibale Forest National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park during your Uganda birding tour.

Feeding Habits: Grey-throated Barbets primarily feed on fruits and figs. While birdwatching in Uganda, keep an eye out for them in plantations near forests, as they also visit gardens for cultivated fruits. They consume the entire fruit and later regurgitate the seed stones, contributing to seed dispersal.

Occasionally, they also feed on insects like locusts, beetles, moths, and dragonflies, as well as small vertebrates like lizards and frogs. These barbets typically nest in tree cavities. The female lays 2-4 eggs, and both adults share the responsibility of incubation for about 13-15 days. After hatching, both parents care for their chicks.

• 

  The Red-fronted Barbet (Tricholaema diademata)

This is a captivating barbet species found in Uganda, Kenya, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Ethopia. This species is an intresting bird among barbets found in Uganda.

Description: The Red-fronted Barbet is a medium-sized bird with striking features. Its most distinctive trait is its bright red forehead, which contrasts beautifully with its black body. You can spot this barbet in various habitats, including woodlands, savannas, and cultivated areas. Keep an eye out for its vibrant plumage and listen for its melodious calls.

Behaviour and Diet: Red-fronted Barbets primarily feed on fruits, berries, and insects. They are often seen perched on branches, foraging for ripe fruits. Their calls are a mix of whistles and chattering sounds.

• The Spot-flanked Barbet (Tricholaema lacrymosa)

This is a captivating bird species found in Uganda, as well as other African countries such as Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Zambia. Let’s explore more about these delightful barbets found in Uganda:

Description: The Spot-flanked Barbet is a chunky, medium-sized black-and-white barbet. It has a black triangle on the throat and large spots on the sides of the belly. You can find it in a variety of habitats, including moist woodlands and gallery forests.

Interestingly, it tends to inhabit lusher habitats compared to other closely related barbet species. Its two main calls are a slow series of “kwaa” notes and a fast series of nasal “kye” notes. It is easily distinguished from similar barbets by its spotted underparts and pale eye. Next time you’re birdwatching in Uganda, keep an eye out for the charming Spot-flanked Barbet—it’s a true gem