Yellow-breasted Barbet
Perlbartvogel ( Trachyphonus margaritatus )
The Perlbartvogel ( Trachyphonus margaritatus ) is a species of bird in the family of African barbets. It comes in Africa just north of the Equator, making it the most in the north represented type of jewelry beard birds. The Perlbartvogel is closely related to the similar looking flamehead Barbet, which occurs further south in Africa. It can be distinguished for the Perlbartvogel several subspecies. The IUCN classifies the Perlbartvogel one as not at risk ( least concern ).
Appearance
The males of the nominate achieve a wing length 8.7 to 9.6 centimeters. The tail length is 7.8 to 9.2 inches, the beak measures 2.2 to 2.5 centimeters. Females have similar body size.
The males have a black skull. On the back there is a small black bonnet. The neck is just like the head yellow pages, but the neck is dense black spotted. The body top is mainly brown with large white spots. The upper tail-coverts are red, the individual feathers have yellow tips on. The tail feathers are quergebändert brown and white. The chin is white, the throat, the throat and sides of the chest are white, which in some individuals the middle of the breast may have an orange tone. The males have a small, shield-shaped patch on the front chest. About the middle of the breast runs a not completely closed, black, white and orange polka-dot ribbon. The rest of the body underside is yellow. The coverts are red. The bill is in relation to body size long and pointed. The bill color is pink, reddish or brownish, the beak is gray to dull black. The legs are dark to light gray.
Females differ from the males by the absence of black spot on the chest. Their plumage is also colored matt. The subspecies have, compared to the nominate only minor differences in plumage coloration.
Confusion opportunities exist with the flaming head Barbet and the ear spot Barbet. The Perlbartvogel is clearly yellowish feathery as the flames head - Barbet. From Latticed Barbet the Perlbartvogel distinguished by the absence of spots on the sides of the head and throat.
Distribution area
The Perlbartvogel is an African barbet the Sahel. Its distribution extends from the center of Mali on the Niger and the north-east Nigeria, through Chad and Sudan to the north of Ethiopia to Eritrea, Djibouti and northern Somalia. The altitudinal distribution ranges from sea level to altitudes of 1800 meters.
Way of life
Similar to the flame head of the barbet Perlbartvogel needed richly structured habitats. It occurs in passing the acacia grass and scrub, rocky slopes and wadis. He also uses ruins and irrigated gardens. Where termite mounds are available, he settled and structural poorer terrain. Perlbartvögel are similar to the flames head - barbets social birds that still live in pairs and often in small groups. This breed associations and jointly search for food. The foraging takes place to a large extent on the ground. There are omnivorous, feeding on beetles, grasshoppers, mantids and other insects. You probably also eat small vertebrates and bird eggs. In addition, fruits play a role in the diet. Although Perlbartvögel are unobtrusive but noisy birds. Due to the frequent interactions between individual birds of each group can therefore still become quickly apparent; However, they are often nowhere. Your flight is very slow.
Perlbartvögel are cavity nesters and dig their burrows in termite mounds and Erdsteilwänden itself. Be used for the breeding and the walls of abandoned wells and old buildings. The nest consists of four to six eggs. These have a pinkish- whitish skin color. The duration of incubation and nestling period are no data. But probably they are able to raise twice per year boy. Fledglings beg loudly for food and follow the adult birds during foraging.