Vieillot's barbet is a small bird in the family Lybiidae. Barbets are a group of near passerine birds with a pantropical distribution which get their name from the bristles which fringe their heavy bills. This bird is named after the French ornithologist Louis Pierre Vieillot.
Region
West Africa and Sahel
Typical Environment
Typically found in dry savanna, wooded grassland, and open parkland with scattered trees. It frequents riparian groves, farmland shelterbelts, and fruiting trees in villages and gardens. The species avoids dense closed-canopy forest but readily occupies edges and secondary growth. It perches conspicuously while singing and forages within mid to upper tree levels.
Altitude Range
0–1800 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 2/5
Vieillot's barbet is a small African barbet known for the stiff bristles fringing its stout bill and its loud antiphonal duets sung by pairs from exposed perches. It excavates its own nesting cavities in dead wood or soft trunks and will reuse or enlarge holes over successive seasons. A largely fruit-eating species, it also takes insects, especially during breeding.
Vieillot's Barbet in Gambia
Temperament
social and active
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Usually seen in pairs or small family groups maintaining territories year-round. Pairs perform synchronized, antiphonal duets from prominent perches. They excavate nesting cavities in dead branches or soft wood; both sexes participate in excavation, incubation, and feeding young.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A loud, rhythmic series of hollow 'poop-poop' or 'tu-tu' notes delivered antiphonally by a pair, often continuing for long bouts. Calls include sharp chattering notes given in excitement or when interacting at the nest.
Plumage
Compact, short-tailed barbet with a contrasting head pattern and bold patches of red on the forehead and throat. Upperparts are dark to brownish with paler fringes, while the underparts are pale buff to whitish with subtle mottling. The bill is thick and bristled at the base.
Diet
Feeds primarily on a variety of fruits and berries, especially figs and other soft, pulpy fruits. Supplements diet with insects such as beetles, termites, and caterpillars, which are gleaned from foliage or bark. During breeding, invertebrates are taken more frequently to feed nestlings.
Preferred Environment
Forages in fruiting trees within savanna, wooded edges, riverine strips, gardens, and orchards. Often visits village trees and parklands where fruit is abundant.
