Blackcollared Barbet (Lybius torquatus)
Iris deep red or red-brown; bill black; legs and feet greenish grey to brown; throat and breast bright red (rarely yellow); hindcrown, mantle and broad band across lower breast black; belly dull pale yellowish grey; back greyish olive; wings and tail edged with yellow.
Duet starting off with buzzing skiz-skiz-skiz, becoming loud ringing antiphonal whoop-dudu, whoop-dudu; also two-puddly, two-puddly, or clean-collar, clean-collar; phrase repeated up to about eight times in quick succession; snarling snaar threat note.
Coastal bush, woodland, forest edge, riverine forest, parks, gardens.
Africa south of the equator, eastern and north-eastern parts of South Africa, Orange Free State and Namibia.
Solitary, in pairs or small groups. Highly vocal, especially in summer; birds bob up and down, opening and closing wings as they call. Flight fast, direct, with whirring wings.
Fruit (especially figs), insects.
Season: August to April (mainly September-November); may rear four broods per season. Nest: Hole excavated in upright or sloping trunks or branches; up to 25 cm from entrance to floor.
Incubation and fledging: 2-5 white eggs. Incubation 18 days. Nesting 33-35 days; fed by both parents and other adult helpers; two pairs may share a nest hole.
References: Gordon Lindsay Maclean: Roberts’ Birds of Southern Africa, Sixth Edition. 1993.
Kenneth Newman: Newman’s Birds by Colour. 2000.
Photographs by Gavin Orbel, Eric Stockenstroom, Mercia Komen and others.