Barbet (e.g. Psilopogon, Capito, Lybius)

BirdTropicalFruit-eater

Overview

Barbets are stout, large-headed, brightly coloured birds of the tropics, found in Africa, Asia, and the Americas. They take their name from the prominent bristles (“barbs”) around the base of their heavy, often slightly notched bills. Many are spectacular — clad in greens, reds, yellows, and blues — like the little coppersmith barbet (Psilopogon haemacephalus) and the large great barbet. They are close relatives of the toucans, with a similarly chunky, big-billed look on a smaller scale.

Barbets are mostly fruit-eaters and accomplished hole-makers, chiselling nest cavities into tree trunks and dead wood with their stout bills, and several are known for loud, monotonously repeated calls that ring through the forest.

Note: “barbet” covers several families across different continents; details here describe them broadly. Treat general statements as approximate and verify against authoritative sources.

Habitat & Range

Barbets live in tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, South and Southeast Asia, and Central and South America, mainly in forests, woodland, and forest edge, with some in gardens, plantations, and wooded savanna. They favour areas with fruiting trees and with dead or soft wood suitable for excavating nest holes.

Diet

Barbets are mostly frugivores, eating a great deal of fruit (figs are a particular favourite of many), along with buds and flowers, and they also take insects and other small invertebrates, especially when feeding their young. By eating fruit and dispersing the seeds, barbets help regenerate the forests they live in.

Behavior

Barbets are cavity nesters: using their robust bills, they chisel out nest holes in tree trunks, branches, or dead wood (some African barbets dig into earth banks or termite mounds instead), excavating a chamber where they raise their young. Many are highly vocal, giving loud, repetitive calls — the coppersmith barbet, for instance, is named for its persistent, metallic “tonk... tonk...” that sounds like a coppersmith tapping metal. They are often heard far more easily than seen, as their green plumage blends into foliage. Some barbets are social and may nest cooperatively, while others are more solitary or live in pairs.

Human Interaction & Conservation

Barbets are popular with birdwatchers for their bold colours and characterful calls, and they are beneficial as seed-dispersers and, in part, insect-eaters; some readily visit fruiting trees in gardens and parks. Many species are common and adaptable, though those tied to particular forests can be affected by deforestation, and some restricted-range species are of greater conservation concern. Consult the IUCN Red List for species-specific status.

More photos of the barbet