Usambiro barbet

The Usambiro barbet (Trachyphonus darnaudii usambiro) is a subspecies of bird in the African barbet family Lybiidae. It is a subspecies of D'Arnaud's barbet, along with Emin's barbet. It varies from the nominate in having a longer wing, shorter tail, darker bill. The Usambiro barbet was originally described as a subspecies of D'Arnaud's barbet in 1908 by Oscar Rudolph Neumann from a specimen collected in Usambiro in Tanzania. It is sometimes treated as a valid species in its own right.[1]

Usambiro barbet
T. d. usambiro in Kenya
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Piciformes
Family: Lybiidae
Genus: Trachyphonus
Species:
T. darnaudii
Subspecies:
T. d. usambiro
Trinomial name
Trachyphonus darnaudii usambiro
Neumann, 1908
Synonyms

Trachyphonus usambiro

It is found in southern Kenya and northern Tanzania, and is found in Maasai Mara National Reserve and Serengeti National Park. The species inhabits open areas including savannah, grassland, shrubland and pastures. It ranges from 1,100–2,100 m (3,600–6,900 ft) above sea-level. Where the species' range overlaps with the Red-and-yellow barbet, this species will avoid the streambeds favoured by the larger Red-and-yellow barbet and occupies flat areas.[1]

The Usambiro barbet is 18 to 19 cm (7.1–7.5 in) long and weighs 37–50.5 g (1.31–1.78 oz). The head is yellow with black spots and the wings are black with white spots. The breast is also yellow with a dark breast band. The belly is pale yellow with a reddish vent. The sexes are similar.[1]

The diet of this species is assumed to be the same as the D'Arnaud's barbet, comprising seeds, fruit and a wide range of insects.[1]

References
  1. del Hoyo, J., Collar, N. & Kirwan, G.M. (2017). Usambiro Barbet (Trachyphonus usambiro). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. (retrieved from http://www.hbw.com/node/467444 on 10 March 2017).
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