Green Tinkerbird

About the Green Tinkerbird

The green tinkerbird (Pogoniulus simplex) is a species of bird in the African barbet family Lybiidae. It is found in East Africa (Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania). The genus name Pogoniulus is a diminutive of the name Pogonias that had been introduced in 1811 by Johann Karl Wilhelm Illiger. Pogonias is from the Ancient Greek πωγωνιας/pōgōnias meaning "bearded". The specific simplex is from latin, meaning "simple", "plain".

Alternative English names for this species include "Eastern Green Tinkerbird," "Green Tinker Barbet," and "African Green Tinkerbird." In historical literature, it has been previously referred to as the "Little Green Barbet."

This species is monotypic. The Green Tinkerbird is a diminutive (approximately 11.5 cm, 8.8 g) and active olive-green barbet characterized by a lack of obvious facial markings, a short, two-toned bill with a black tip and yellow base, a conspicuous bright yellow rump, and two distinct yellow wing bars. In the field, this species exhibits a predominantly olive-green appearance with a paler gray-olive underside. The short, dagger-shaped bill is a key feature, along with the striking yellow rump... Wikipedia →