Capito maculicoronatus
The Spot-crowned Barbet (Capito maculicoronatus) is a striking Neotropical bird measuring approximately 18 cm (7 inches) in length and weighing around 55-60 grams. Males are particularly distinctive, featuring glossy black upperparts contrasted by a pristine white belly, and a vibrant red crown often adorned with black spots, framed by a white postocular stripe and a black malar. Their stout, pale greenish-yellow bill is also a key identification feature. Females generally exhibit a similar p...
This barbet primarily inhabits humid tropical lowland forests, forest borders, and mature secondary growth, often found in fruit plantations. It typically occurs at elevations from sea level up to 900-1000 meters.
The Spot-crowned Barbet's diet consists predominantly of various fruits, especially figs and berries, supplemented with a significant intake of arthropods, including ants and beetles. They forage by gleaning from foliage and branches in the forest canopy and subcanopy.
Spot-crowned Barbets are largely diurnal, spending their days foraging in the mid-canopy and subcanopy layers of their forest habitat. They are primarily arboreal, moving deliberately along branches, gleaning insects and plucking fruits with their sturdy bills. While often observed singly or in p...
The Spot-crowned Barbet's geographic distribution is relatively restricted, primarily encompassing eastern Panama and a small, contiguous portion of northwestern Colombia. In Panama, its range extends eastward from the Canal Zone, through the provinces of Panamá and Colón, and further into the va...
Least Concern
- The Spot-crowned Barbet is one of only ten species in the genus Capito, which comprises the American barbets. - Despite their vibrant coloration, they can be surprisingly difficult to spot in the dense forest canopy, often revealed first by their distinctive calls. - Their scientific name, "mac...