Green Barbet

About the Green Barbet

The green barbet (Cryptolybia olivacea) is a species of bird in the Lybiidae family (African barbets). It is found in Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique and South Africa. It occurs in forests from sea level to 1,800 metres (5,900 ft). Its isolated populations are vulnerable to forest clearing.

They have dull ginger-olive plumage, but are yellower on the wings, and paler below. The head and chin are dark brown in the nominate race, and the eyes vary from dull red to orange. The bill is black and the feet blackish. Juveniles are duller, with brown eyes.

Their call is a repetitive chock, chock,..., or chop, chop,..., sometimes in a duet. They frequent fruiting branches in the subcanopy, and vary from solitary to social during foraging and roosting. It is a sedentary species which is not known to undertake any movements. It may be particularly dependent on the fruit of wild figs. It breeds in cavities in tree trunks during midsummer.

The number of races (or species) is not generally agreed upon, and the conservation status of the taxa depends critically on their taxonomic evaluation. Race C. o. hylophona is sometimes merged with... Wikipedia →