White-headed Barbet

Lybius leucocephalus

Other Names

    Barbican à tête blanche   Weißkopf-Bartvogel   Barbudo Cabeciblanco   Vithuvad tandskäggök   Witkop baardvogel   Barbetto testabianca

World: Afrotropical - in 3 distinct regions, the highlands of SW Angola, from the forests of the Congo Basin N to N Nigeria and Chad. The final population occurs in the E from S Sudan down through SE Uganda, Kenya & northern and eastern Tanzania to NE Zaire.

Kenya: Found principally in the Highlands in the region S of 2°N and W of 39°E.

This is a very distinctive, large, black and white, chunky looking Barbet with a heavy, toothed bill. It is found in open woodland often close to water and areas of cultivation (particularly where there are fig and other fruit trees). These trees are not only important as a source of food but also as nest sites, White-headed Barbets excavate nests in soft-wooded trees (fig, jacaranda etc). They are social birds often found in small groups when all the adults in a group will take part in incubating and feeding the young. However nesting birds may prevent others from roosting in the nest. Their diet consists of fruit and insects (including arboreal termites).