Black-collared Barbet

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Lybius torquatus

The Black-collared Barbet is a denizen of a wide range of forest, woodland and savanna habitats, also occurring in riverine thickets in more open grasslands and well adapted to exotic plantations and suburban parks and gardens. They feed mainly on fruits and seeds, but will also consume insects and small vertebrates when the opportunity arises. They’re stockily built birds, with adults weighing around 54g and measuring 20cm in length.

Black-collared Barbets are often encountered in pairs or small groups numbering as many as 15. They are highly vocal and have an exquisite repertoire of duet calls – their most recognisable “too-puddly too-puddly too-puddly“ call also is a duet – the first note being uttered by one bird and its mate then singing the second note. The breeding season spans spring and summer, with both members of the monogamous pairs using their heavy bills to great effect in excavating nest holes in dead trees. The clutch of 2-5 eggs are incubated for just short of 3 weeks, with the chicks fledging about 5 weeks after hatching. The pair is often assisted at the nest by other adult members of their group.

The IUCN considers the Black-collared Barbet to be of least concern. In South Africa they occur from the Eastern Cape through Kwazulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Limpopo and Gauteng to the North West and Free State, and marginally into the Northern Cape, while north of our borders they are to be found thoughout central and east Africa as far as Angola in the west and Kenya in the east.

Black-collared barbet
Black-collared Barbet
Black-collared Barbet
Black-collared Barbets
Black-collared Barbet
Black-collared Barbet
Black-collared Barbet
Black-collared Barbet
Black-collared Barbet
Black-collared Barbet
Black-collared Barbet
Black-collared Barbet
Black-collared Barbet
Black-collared Barbet
Black-collared Barbet
Black-collared Barbet (photo by Joubert)
Black-collared Barbet (photo by Joubert)

23 thoughts on “Black-collared Barbet”

  1. Tony Clucas

    i have a nesting log and am told it must be positioned facing a specific direction, but everyone seems to have a different opinion! Please can you give me some guidance. Thank you

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    1. de Wets Wild Post author

      The most important pointers I can assist with, Tony, is to ensure that the entrance to the nesting log should not be getting direct sun or direct rain and be high enough to deter predators (cats especially are of concern in our towns and cities), meaning that placing the log slightly askew and below or behind a branch or trunk at least 2-4 m high is your best bet for success.

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  2. Anne Wolfson

    Is it possible for crested barbets and black collared barbets to share the same nest
    It seems to be happening in our sisal nest in our bay leaf tree since 27 December

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  9. naturebackin

    I agree about their call. Another of my favourites. The pair in our garden need all the helpers they can get as when nesting they are plagued by lesser honeyguides hoping to parasitize the nest!

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