Pogonornis rolleti
The Black-breasted Barbet (Pogonornis rolleti) is a strikingly colored member of the Lybiidae family, immediately recognizable by its vibrant plumage. Measuring approximately 26-28 cm in length and weighing around 80-100 grams, this medium-sized barbet sports a diagnostic jet-black breast band contrasting sharply with a bright yellow lower belly. Its head is a brilliant crimson red, often extending to the throat, framed by a distinct white nape and a stout, conical bill adapted for fruit cons...
Primarily found in tropical and subtropical moist lowland forests, open woodlands, and gallery forests. It typically inhabits elevations ranging from 500 to 1,500 meters.
Feeds predominantly on a variety of wild fruits, especially figs, supplemented with insects such as ants, termites, and beetle larvae. It forages by gleaning from branches and occasional short aerial sallies.
Black-breasted Barbets are diurnal birds, active from dawn until dusk, often roosting communally in tree cavities during the night. Their foraging strategy primarily involves gleaning fruits from the canopy and mid-story, supplementing their diet with insects caught by short sallies or gleaned fr...
The Black-breasted Barbet is a resident species endemic to a specific region of Central Africa. Its primary distribution extends from southern Chad and the Central African Republic eastward through South Sudan, and into northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo, northwestern Uganda, and the extre...
Least Concern
- The Black-breasted Barbet's scientific name, *Pogonornis rolleti*, honors the French explorer and naturalist, Dr. Jean-Baptiste Rollet. - Despite its vibrant coloration, its black breast provides surprisingly effective camouflage in the dappled light of the forest canopy. - Like woodpeckers, ba...