Barbets

It's been a number of years since I spent the whole winter in our Free State home, here in South Africa. So I didn't realize that the two species of barbets which are resident in our garden, are here for most of the year. Previously I've posted about the Crested Barbet (and even managed to record its call for posting) and also the Black-collared Barbet. Now I'm posting about them both.

 Crested Barbet

Perched in our peach tree with the boundary wall as a suitable backdrop for my photos!

The crest, which gives this Barbet its name is quite flat. When this bird calls, the crest is upright

The Crested Barbet is a common resident. It favors drier woodland, but has adapted well to suburban areas. It's omnivorous: takes insects on the ground and feeds on a wide range of fruits . It has been recorded taking nectar. Its call is a loud and sustained unmusical tr-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r ... likened to an alarm clock. It's monogamous and breeds in a hole excavated in the underside of  dead stump.

Black-collared Barbet

This Barbet is a common resident and widely distributed.  Usually in pairs and remain thus throughout the season. They favor woodland habitats where fruit-bearing trees are abundant. They're mainly frugivorous and are partial to figs. Their call is a synchronized duet ; one bird giving "two" with the second bird "pouddle" creating "two-poudle; two-poudle" often repeated 10 - 20 times,  with the birds usually facing each other. They're probably monogamous, sometimes with nest helpers from the previous season's offspring. They excavate a hole in a dead tree stump . 

I'm linking my post to Wild Bird Wednesday here

Happy Wednesday to you all and Happy Birding to all my birder friends!