D'Arnaud's barbet is a species of bird in the family Lybiidae. Barbets and toucans are a group of near passerine birds with a worldwide tropical distribution. The barbets get their name from the bristles which fringe their heavy bills. Four geographical races have been recorded. The 2021 taxonomic update to the IOC World Bird List upgraded the usambiro subspecies to species status as Usambiro barbet / Trachyphonus usambiro.
Region
East Africa
Typical Environment
Found from southern Ethiopia and Somalia through Kenya and Uganda to northern and central Tanzania. It occupies dry savanna, acacia and thorn scrub, open bushland, and semi-arid pastures, often near termite mounds and scattered trees. The species adapts to lightly cultivated areas and ranchlands where shrubs and hedgerows persist. It is generally absent from dense forest and true desert but tolerates patchy woodland and rocky scrub.
Altitude Range
600–2200 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 2/5
D'Arnaud's barbet is a small African barbet named for a French explorer, and is notable for its duet songs and ritualized 'dancing' displays around nest sites. Unlike many barbets, it often excavates a burrow in the ground or in termite mounds for nesting. Four geographical races are recognized, and the usambiro form was elevated to full species (Usambiro barbet, Trachyphonus usambiro) by the IOC in 2021.
Temperament
solitary and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Usually found in pairs or small family groups that defend territories year-round. Pairs perform a distinctive duet while bobbing, bowing, and tail-fanning, often near the nest site. They excavate burrows in the ground or in termite mounds where both sexes share incubation and chick rearing.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A synchronized duet of repeated, bubbling or trilled notes that can carry over distance, often given antiphonally by the pair. Calls also include dry rattles and churring notes during displays.
Plumage
Densely spotted and scaly-looking plumage with mottled upperparts and spotted underparts. Throat and face are yellowish with darker flecking, and a dark, speckled breast band contrasts with paler belly. Tail often shows white tips and the bill is stout with bristly rictal feathers.
Diet
Eats a mix of insects such as beetles, termites, and ants, along with fruits and berries, and occasionally seeds. Forages by gleaning from low shrubs, probing the ground, and picking prey around termite mounds. Will sally short distances to snap up flying insects and takes fallen fruit when available.
Preferred Environment
Feeds in open scrub, acacia thornveld, and edges of cultivation or pasture where scattered bushes and termitaria are present. Often forages on or near the ground and in the lower strata of shrubs and small trees.
