Lybius chaplini
Status: Vulnerable
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Piciformes
Family: Lybiidae
Genus: Lybius
General Information
The Zambian barbet is a small bird species endemic to Zambia.
Length: up to 19 cm
Weight: 64–75
Fun Facts !
The species was renamed to emphasize its status as Zambia's only true endemic bird species and it earned a spot on the K1 (One Kwacha) coin.
Ecology and Behaviour
The Zambian barbet's usually occur in groups of two to six individuals and guard their territories aggressively. When calling to each other, these barbets snap their bills loudly and emit a chorus of buzzy, grating notes like an accelerating noisy cackle.
Reproduction
The Zambian barbet's breeding season is from August to November. They nest in cavities in branches of the fig trees and lay between two and four eggs that they incubate for 13–15 days. The parents share the nesting and parental care responsibilities. These barbets can be parasitized by lesser honeyguides, which lay eggs in the barbets' nest and leave them for the barbets to raise as their own. Sometimes the honey-guides will destroy some of the barbet chicks and replace them with the parasite offspring.
Conservation
It is categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list as, "Vulnerable". It was formerly classified as a Near Threatened species by the IUCN. But new research has shown it to be rarer than it was believed. Consequently, it is up-listed to Vulnerable status in 2008.
Trend: decreasing
Distribution and Habitat
The Zambian barbet is endemic to South Central Zambia and is restricted to the area between the Upper Kafue River to Kabanga in the Kalomo District. Its natural habitats are moist savanna and arable land.
Interaction with humans
It is threatened by habitat loss.
Featured Listings
No results found.
Related Pages/Posts
Black Eyed Bulbul
House Sparrow
Blue Waxbill
Southern Ostrich
Pied Crow
Barn Swallow
