Red-fronted Tinkerbird
Encyclopedia
The Red-fronted Tinkerbird, Pogoniulus pusillus formerly known as Red-fronted Tinker Barbet is a small African barbet. Barbets are near passerine
birds with bristles around the base of the bill. They have a world-wide tropical distribution.
The Red-fronted Tinkerbird is a widespread and frequently common resident breeder in eastern South Africa
, with a separate population from southern Sudan
and Ethiopia
south to central and eastern Tanzania
. It is sometimes considered conspecific with its northern counterpart, the Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird
, Pogoniulus chrysoconus.
The Red-fronted Tinkerbird is associated with juniper
forest and scrub. It nests in a tree hole, and lays two or three eggs. It eats berries and fruit, particularly mistletoe
, but also takes insects as it forages in deep cover.
The Red-fronted Tinkerbird is 9–10.5 cm in length. It is a plump bird, with a short neck, large head, and short tail. The adult has black upperparts heavlly streaked with yellow and white, and a golden wing patch. Its head has a strong black and white pattern, with a red forecrown spot. Its underparts and rump are lemon yellow. Sexes are similar in appearance, but young birds lack the red forehead.
This species is distinguished from Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird by the colour of the forehead spot, the golden wing patch, and its overall darker appearance.
It is often confused with the Red-fronted Barbet
but it is significantly smaller than that species, has a black moustache and a less robust bill, and lacks a broad yellow superciliary stripe
.
At about 100 repetitions per minute, the Red -fronted Tinkerbird's call is a fast tink-tink-tink-tink, very similar to that of Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird. Many barbets perch prominently, but, unlike their larger relatives, the smaller tinkerbirds sing from cover and are more frequently heard than seen.
Near passerine
Near passerine or higher land-bird assemblage are terms often given to arboreal birds or those most often believed to be related to the true passerines due to ecological similarities; the group corresponds to some extent with the Anomalogonatae of Garrod All near passerines are land birds...
birds with bristles around the base of the bill. They have a world-wide tropical distribution.
The Red-fronted Tinkerbird is a widespread and frequently common resident breeder in eastern South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, with a separate population from southern Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
and Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
south to central and eastern Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
. It is sometimes considered conspecific with its northern counterpart, the Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird
Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird
The Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird, Pogoniulus chrysoconus, is a small African barbet formerly known as Yellow-fronted Tinker Barbet. Barbets are near passerine birds with bristles around the base of the bill and a world-wide tropical distribution....
, Pogoniulus chrysoconus.
The Red-fronted Tinkerbird is associated with juniper
Juniper
Junipers are coniferous plants in the genus Juniperus of the cypress family Cupressaceae. Depending on taxonomic viewpoint, there are between 50-67 species of juniper, widely distributed throughout the northern hemisphere, from the Arctic, south to tropical Africa in the Old World, and to the...
forest and scrub. It nests in a tree hole, and lays two or three eggs. It eats berries and fruit, particularly mistletoe
Mistletoe
Mistletoe is the common name for obligate hemi-parasitic plants in several families in the order Santalales. The plants in question grow attached to and within the branches of a tree or shrub.-Mistletoe in the genus Viscum:...
, but also takes insects as it forages in deep cover.
The Red-fronted Tinkerbird is 9–10.5 cm in length. It is a plump bird, with a short neck, large head, and short tail. The adult has black upperparts heavlly streaked with yellow and white, and a golden wing patch. Its head has a strong black and white pattern, with a red forecrown spot. Its underparts and rump are lemon yellow. Sexes are similar in appearance, but young birds lack the red forehead.
This species is distinguished from Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird by the colour of the forehead spot, the golden wing patch, and its overall darker appearance.
It is often confused with the Red-fronted Barbet
Red-fronted Barbet
The Red-fronted Barbet is a species of bird in the Lybiidae family.It is found in Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda.-References:* BirdLife International 2004. . Downloaded on 27 July 2007....
but it is significantly smaller than that species, has a black moustache and a less robust bill, and lacks a broad yellow superciliary stripe
Supercilium
The supercilium is a plumage feature found on the heads of some bird species. It is a stripe which runs from the base of the bird's beak above its eye, finishing somewhere towards the rear of the bird's head. Also known as an "eyebrow", it is distinct from the eyestripe, which is a line which runs...
.
At about 100 repetitions per minute, the Red -fronted Tinkerbird's call is a fast tink-tink-tink-tink, very similar to that of Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird. Many barbets perch prominently, but, unlike their larger relatives, the smaller tinkerbirds sing from cover and are more frequently heard than seen.