Pogoniulus atroflavus
The Red-rumped Tinkerbird (Pogoniulus atroflavus) is a diminutive and often inconspicuous member of the African barbet family (Lybiidae), renowned for its distinctive calls rather than its vibrant plumage. Measuring just 10-11 cm (approx. 4 inches) in length and weighing around 10-15 grams, it is one of the smallest barbets. Its most striking field mark is a bright scarlet rump patch, contrasted with olive-green upperparts, a black cap, a prominent yellow supercilium, and a yellow face and th...
This species primarily inhabits the canopy and mid-story of tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, often found in both primary and secondary growth, gallery forests, and mature woodlands at elevations typically ranging from sea level up to 1,800 meters.
Their diet primarily consists of small fruits, particularly figs, supplemented by a variety of insects, such as beetles, ants, and termites, which they glean from foliage.
Red-rumped Tinkerbirds are diurnal and typically solitary or found in pairs, often becoming more vocal and active during the early morning and late afternoon. They are primarily arboreal, moving deliberately through the foliage to forage. Their foraging strategy involves gleaning insects from lea...
The Red-rumped Tinkerbird is a resident species found exclusively in the Afrotropics, specifically across West and Central Africa. Its breeding and year-round range extends from Sierra Leone and Liberia in the west, through southern Guinea, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin, and Nigeria. It continu...
Least Concern
- The Red-rumped Tinkerbird is one of the smallest members of the barbet family in Africa. - Its common name 'tinkerbird' is derived from its repetitive, metallic call that sounds like a tiny hammer on an anvil. - Despite its often bright plumage, it is notoriously difficult to spot in the dense ...