Crested barbet facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Crested barbet |
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| In Selous Game Reserve, Tanzania | |
| Conservation status | |
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| Genus: |
Trachyphonus
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| Species: |
vaillantii
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The crested barbet (scientific name: Trachyphonus vaillantii) is a colorful bird found in sub-Saharan Africa. Its name comes from Greek words meaning 'rough voice' or 'sound'. The second part of its scientific name honors a famous French nature expert, François Levaillant. It belongs to the Lybiidae family of birds.
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What Does a Crested Barbet Look Like?
The crested barbet is easy to spot because of its bright colors and thick beak. This small bird has a face covered in yellow and red spots. It also has a small black crest on its head. Its belly is yellow with red spots. Its wings are black with white spots. A wide black band goes around its neck. The bird's yellow body, black and white feathers, and red tail markings help it blend into the bush. They make a unique, rolling sound called a trill.
What Do Crested Barbets Eat?
Crested barbets enjoy a varied diet. They mostly eat insects and fruits. They also sometimes eat the eggs of other birds. Occasionally, they might even catch and eat small mice.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
Crested barbets build their nests in holes. They might use a hole in a tree or even a log in a garden. These birds are monogamous, meaning they have one partner. They also protect their nesting area during breeding season. The size of their territory changes depending on where they live.
Female barbets lay one to five eggs. They lay one egg each day, usually between September and December. The eggs hatch after about 13 to 17 days. The mother bird does most of the sitting on the eggs. When the young birds hatch, they are naked and cannot see. Both parents feed the baby birds insects. The parents also keep the nest clean by removing waste. The young birds are ready to fly after about 31 days. A single pair of barbets can raise up to five groups of babies in one breeding season.
How Do Crested Barbets Behave?
You can often find crested barbets alone or in pairs. They like to hop around on the ground looking for food. They usually sing their calls from a branch where they can be seen. These birds do not fly easily and only for short distances. At night, crested barbets sleep in holes inside trees. They are very noisy birds, and their trilling call can go on for a long time.
Crested barbets are quite protective of their space. They will chase away other birds that come into their territory. This includes birds that might compete for nesting spots, like other barbets. They also chase away birds like doves and thrushes. There have even been reports of them attacking rats and killing snakes.
Where Do Crested Barbets Live?
Crested barbets live in many different places. You can find them in forests, open grasslands called savannahs, and even in suburban gardens. They also live in thick bushes in woodlands and near water sources. These birds are found in several African countries. These include Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eswatini, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
