 The Crested
Barbet is a small bird with a speckled yellow and red face with a small black crest. The
belly is yellow with red speckles, wings are black with white specks and it has a
broad black band on its neck. Yellow head and body with black and white feathers, red
markings on end of body, its colour blends well in the bush. They have a distinct shrill
Name: Trachyphonus vaillantii
Habitat: Forests, savannah, sub-urban gardens, woodland thickets and
watercourses.
Distribution: Common all over Southern Africa.
Diet: Insects, other birds eggs and fruits.
Socialisation: Crested Barbets are usually found singly or in pairs. They
hop around on the ground looking for food. They do not fly easily and then only for short
distances. Crested Barbets roost in holes in trees. They are very vocal, the call being a
trill that can continue for long periods. Crested Barbets are aggressive towards other
birds in their territory and chase off both nest competitors such as other Barbets and
other birds such as doves and thrushes.
Reproduction: Crested Barbets nest in a hole in a tree or a Sisal log in a
garden. They are monogamous and territorial during breeding. Eggs are laid between
September to December. 1 to 5 eggs are laid at daily intervals. Incubation lasts between
13 to 17 days, beginning with the second or third egg and mainly by the female. The young
hatch naked and blind. They are fed insects by both parents.
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