2013 Bonanza Bird #6: Bearded Barbet
We're adding new birds each day until we reach our 500th Birdorable species! Today's Bonanza bird is the Bearded Barbet.
Bearded Barbets are stocky birds that live in western parts of Africa. Their bold red and black plumage, along with their yellow eye patch, makes these unique birds extremely striking and beautiful.
There are 84 species of barbet in the world, distributed through parts of South America, Africa, and Asia. All barbets have bristles around their faces; the name barbet probably comes from the word 'barb', which may mean 'feather shaft branch' or 'plant hair'. The Bearded Barbet has the most pronounced of these bristles, giving them their somewhat redundant name. Bearded Barbets have a lifespan up to 15 years. They breed well in captivity and can often be found in zoos and aviaries. Their conservation status is considered to be Least Concern.
Tomorrow's new species is a bird of prey that belongs in the falcon family but sometimes acts more like a vulture! Check out the blog tomorrow to see what our newest bird is.
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