Stactolaema anchietae
Anchieta's Barbet (Stactolaema anchietae) is a striking, medium-sized African barbet, typically measuring 17-19 cm (6.7-7.5 inches) in length. Its plumage is predominantly glossy black, providing a dramatic backdrop for its vibrant highlights. A brilliant deep red crown distinguishes its head, while a conspicuous bright yellow patch adorns its belly and flanks, serving as a key identification mark. This species exhibits minimal sexual dimorphism, with males and females sharing almost identica...
Primarily found in miombo (Brachystegia) woodlands and forest edges, often favoring areas with dead trees for nesting. It typically inhabits elevations ranging from 900 to 2000 meters above sea level.
Feeds primarily on a diverse range of wild fruits, making it largely frugivorous, supplemented significantly by insects. Its diet includes various beetles, caterpillars, and other arboreal arthropods.
Anchieta's Barbet is a diurnal species, spending its active hours foraging in the canopy and sub-canopy of its woodland habitat. It employs a mix of gleaning and sallying to capture insects and a direct approach for plucking fruits. During the breeding season, pairs are territorial, defending the...
Anchieta's Barbet is endemic to central and southern Africa, primarily associated with the vast miombo woodland belt. Its distribution spans eastern Angola, extending across the southern and southeastern Democratic Republic of Congo, particularly within the Katanga province. The species is also w...
Least Concern
- Anchieta's Barbet was named after the 19th-century Portuguese explorer and naturalist, José de Anchieta, who collected specimens in Angola. - It belongs to the Lybiidae family, making it exclusively an African barbet, genetically distinct from barbets found in Asia and the Americas. - Its robus...