D'Arnaud's Barbet

Trachyphonus darnaudii

Other Pics: Female D'Arnaud's Barbet (T. d. darnaudii)

Other Names

Trachyphonus usambiro = T. d usambiro   Usambiro Barbet   Barbican d'Arnaud   Ohrfleck-Bartvogel   Barbudo Capuchino   D'Arnauds skäggök     Barbetto di D'Arnaud

World: Africa in Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania.

Kenya: Widespread up to 1900m. Common in Southern and West-Central Kenya, largely absent from the North-East.

Inhabits bushed grassland and dry scrub. It can usually be seen in the dryer areas of the Rift Valley such as the area around Lake Baringo and at Samburu. It's also seen in Tsavo National Park. Resembles the Crested Barbet(not found in Kenya) and the Red-and-yellow Barbet but is smaller than both, lacks a crest and has no red in the face. The bird pictured above with the black forehead and crown, which was photographed at Samburu, is Trachyphonus darnaudii boehmii, usually found to the East of the Rift Valley. D'Arnaud's Barbet may be conspecific with the Usambiro Barbet which is found only in the South-West of Kenya in the Maasai Mara area. Our check list, based on Zimmerman, treats them as a single species.