African Wildlife and Environment Issue 67

BIRDING

regular visitor, especially during winter. Crested barbets breed throughout the year in South Africa, with a peak from October to February. They are monogamous, solitary nesters and very territorial, defending their nesting territories vigorously against otherhole-nestingbirds. Theyattimesevictother species including Red-throated Wryneck from already occupied nests. Pairs remain together throughout the year, with frequent duetting by mated pairs, to strengthen pair bond. Courtship behaviour by the Crested Barbet male includes feeding berries and insects to the female. Being related to woodpeckers, the nest is an excavated chamber in trees. It is a cavity excavated by both sexes, in a dead trunk or branch or in a natural cavity in a tree. They tend to excavate their nesting hole on the underside of a sloping stem. The same nest is reused for successive broods. In suburban gardens they readily take to a piece of sisal stem tied to a tree. The clutch usually contains 3 or 4 eggs. The Crested Barbet eggs are laid at 24 hour intervals on wood chips at the bottom of the nesting chamber. The eggs are elliptical, white, smooth shelled but not glossy. Incubation normally starts with the second or third laid egg. The incubation period is 17 days, by the female only at night, and by both male and female during the day. Pairs usually call briefly at change-overs. The nestling period for Crested barbets is 31 days, with the nestlings fed on insects by both adults. As soon as the chicks are feathered they are fed near the entrance hole. During the nestling period, chick faeces, together with wood chips, are removed together and disposed of away from the nest. Occasionally a pair may breed up to four times in one season. The norm is regularly a double brood. They are parasitised by both the Greater- and Lesser honeyguides. It is on record that two Lesser Honeyguides attacked an adult Crested barbet and killed two of the four chicks in the nest! It is thought that this behaviour was to force the barbet to synchronise its laying with that of the honeyguide, a Mafia-like twist to brood parasitism! Crested barbet nestlings are often evicted and killed by Common mynahs. The Crested barbet is a prolific breeder. Unlike several other barbets, they are not co-operative breeders, and do not have helpers at the nest. As a species they are not threatened and are common in woodland environments, and also well represented in protected areas. Their recent expansions to the south and west, suggest a thriving population.

young birds and the adult female. The immature birds also lack the white spots on the black breast band. Their call is a loud and sustained unmusical trill “ Tr-r-r-r-r r-r-r-r-r-r ”, the pitch is variable, rather like a monotonous trilling purr like themuffled bell of an alarm clock. The call usually lasts for about thirty seconds, and is often repeated. The call becomes more shrill and deliberate when the bird is agitated by an intruder or on sighting a human being. Both sexes sing, sometimes in duet, birds in adjacent territories often sing in response. They call throughout the year, their alarm call is a sharp, loud “ kek-kek-kek ”, for all to hear. The Crested Barbet is widely distributed in southern Africa, with the edge of the range in Angola, Zambia and Tanzania. In southern Africa they occur as common residents in north and north east Namibia, northern and eastern Botswana, throughout Zimbabwe and central and southern Mozambique. In South Africa they occur in the northern provinces and to the northern sections of the Eastern Cape, southern Free State and central Northern Cape, north of the Orange River. Historically they have not been recorded in the South Western Cape and lower Orange River region. In their distribution areas they are very common. Their lifespan is in the region of six to seven years. They are recorded as prey of Bateleur and Wahlberg’s eagle They occur in both moist and dry open mixed broad leaved woodland, including Miombo and Mopani, and are also found in semi-arid acacia woodland. They are also present in grassland with patches of trees, and have adapted well to suburbia in the drier parts of South Africa. They frequently perch on exposed posts for long periods while calling. Whilst foraging on the ground for food, they hop around with a very upright gait and tail, very often with their black crest raised; the Crested barbet forages on the ground more than any other barbets. Crested barbets are usually solitary or in pairs, becoming quite tame, especially in suburban gardens. However, they show aggressiveness towards other hole-nesting species, including Black-collared barbets, Whyte’s and Acacia Pied barbets, both during the breeding and non-breeding season. They drink regularly and take to ‘man made’ bird baths readily. They are omnivorous, often taking insects on the ground, and also feed on a wide range of fruits. Crested barbets forage mostly on the ground, favouring areas with sparse grass cover near trees and bushes. On the ground they feed on termites, beetles, grasshoppers, moths and snails. Snails are bashed against a rock or the ground to expose contents. In summer fruit forms a large part of its diet. The Crested barbet eats the fruit of karees Rhus spp , quarris Euclea spp , wild figs Ficus spp and jackal-berries Diospyros spp . They also feed on nectar from aloes and Weeping Boer-bean Schotia brachypetala . Occasionally they will rob nests of eggs and chicks. They can be attracted to feeding tables with apple, banana or pawpaw, and will quickly become a

Willie Froneman Birding Expert & Enthuisiast willie.froneman@gmail.com

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