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| Bearded Barbets (Lybius dubius dubius) |
| Description: Bearded Barbets are large plump birds (about 80-108 grams) with a grooved yellow bill with black pronounced hair like feathers over the bill with a beard like appearance. The plumage on the head and back are predominately black with some white on the lower back, wings, tail and lower chest. The breast is red except for the lower area which is mixed with white. The two areas of the breast are separated by a black band. On the flank area/ lower side of the bird, is a white patch. This area distinguishes the difference between male and female. Males have a solid white patch while females have black spots in the white patch. Bearded Barbets have yellow skin surrounding the eyes. Like many Barbets they have a strong bill with a serrated bill appearing to be teeth. Bearded Barbets have zygodactylous toes similar to toucans and woodpeckers. Range: Bearded Barbets are found in Western and Central Africa, along the Ivory Coast, Central Nigeria, and Central Cameroon to Northwest Central African Republic. They are also found in Chad, Guinea and Ghana. Range: African barbets are found in thick forest to open scrub land. Diet: The Natural diet of Barbets consist of fruits, berries, flowers, buds, nectar, insects, frogs, and small lizards. In captivity we feed our barbets a good fresh chopped fruit mix, Mazuri Soft-bill diet, Insect feast, and live insects. Breeding: Barbets are relatives of woodpeckers, tinker birds and toucans. Like woodpeckers and toucans; barbets nest in tree and plant cavities. Barbets lay a clutch of 2 to 4 eggs, which incubate for 13 to 19 days. Both parents incubate and sleep in the nest hole. Chicks are altricial and posses heal pads like toucans. Chicks fledge from 20 to 35 days dependent on species. Second clutches are possible. |
