Black-Collared Barbet
Lybius torquatus
Habitat
Mid-canopy
Diet
FruiNect
Active Time
Diurnal
Size
52 g
About This Species
A chunky, boldly patterned barbet of woodland, savanna and garden habitats across eastern and southern Africa, most often detected by its loud, duetting calls given by paired birds from within cover. It feeds mainly on fruit and insects in the mid-storey, and pairs frequently excavate nest holes in dead wood or utility poles. Early morning is the best time to listen for its distinctive duet, which often reveals its location before it is seen.
Ethical Viewing Guidelines
- A distance of several metres from a calling or feeding pair is generally sufficient to watch without interrupting normal behaviour, and moving quietly rather than directly toward the birds helps avoid flushing them from cover.
- Wildlife protection rules differ among the African countries within its range, so it is worth checking local regulations, particularly in national parks and reserves.
- Nest holes should not be approached or tapped to encourage a response, since this can cause birds to abandon an active nest.
LCAvesPiciformesLybiidae
Seasonal Activity
236,989 sightings · 2000–2026
Citizen science records via GBIF
All monthsThis month
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Piciformes
- Family
- Lybiidae
Traits
- Diet
- FruiNect
- Foraging
- Mid-canopy
- Activity
- Diurnal
- Body mass
- 52 g
Photo
(c) Arno Meintjes, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
CC-BY-NC-4.0
Occurrence data from GBIF.