D'Arnaud's Barbet

D'Arnaud's Barbet is a compact, terrestrial barbet of the dry bush country of East Africa, patterned in fine black-and-white spotting with warm yellow tones on the face and underparts. It is more often heard than seen, given away by its distinctive bubbling duet.

Adults show a densely speckled black-and-white crown and upperparts, a yellow face and throat, and yellowish underparts marked with variable dark spotting; the bill is short, stout, and pale. Plumage can vary somewhat across its range, with some populations (sometimes treated as a separate species, the Usambiro Barbet) showing a more solidly black crown and darker face.

Unlike many barbets that forage in trees, D'Arnaud's Barbet spends much of its time on or near the ground, hopping and bobbing around bushes and termite mounds.

Key field marks

• Finely speckled black-and-white crown and upperparts
• Yellow face and throat
• Pale yellow underparts with dark spotting
• Short, stout, pale bill
• Ground-dwelling habits, frequently near termite mounds

Similar species

• Red-and-yellow Barbet: has a solid scarlet head and much bolder red-and-black pattern, lacking the fine black-and-white speckling of D'Arnaud's.
• Usambiro Barbet: closely related and sometimes considered a subspecies; distinguished by a more solidly black crown and darker face, with ranges meeting in parts of Kenya and Tanzania.
• Crested Barbet: found further south, with a shaggier crest and heavier black spotting on yellow underparts rather than the finely speckled pattern of D'Arnaud's.

Habitat

D'Arnaud's Barbet favors dry Acacia savanna, thornbush, and semi-arid scrub, often in areas with termite mounds that it uses both for foraging and nesting.

Range

Endemic to East Africa, found in Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, and Somalia, generally in lower, drier habitats away from moist highland forest.

Migration

Non-migratory and sedentary, with pairs holding fixed territories around favored termite mounds or thickets.

Behavior

D'Arnaud's Barbet is a ground-loving bird, often seen hopping between bushes or foraging directly on bare or sparsely vegetated soil, bobbing its head and flicking its tail while calling.

Voice

Pairs perform a bubbling, rhythmic duet, a rapid series of popping or churring notes given in close coordination, used to maintain the pair bond and advertise the territory.

Feeding

It feeds largely on ants and termites gathered from the ground and mounds, along with other insects, fruit, and seeds.

Nesting and breeding

The species commonly excavates its nest burrow into the side of an active or abandoned termite mound, or occasionally into an earth bank; both members of the pair take part in digging, incubating, and feeding the chicks.