Sladen's Barbet Gymnobucco sladeni Scientific name definitions

c. 17 cm; 42–48 g (1 King, T. and Chamberlan, C. (2007). First records for Congo-Brazzaville of Miombo Pied Barbet Tricholaema frontata, Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird Pogoniulus chrysoconus and Sladen’s Barbet Gymnobucco sladeni. Bull. African Bird Club. 14(2): 193-199. Close ). Dark brown barbet with bare face, pale tufts about bill; throat grey to brownish grey; bill blackish. Differs from G. bonapartei in bare head, less streaky appearance; from G. peli in darker, less streaky plumage, larger and darker bill. Sexes alike. Immature paler-billed, shows feathers on head, has darker tufts, paler below; brown eye (red in adult) (1 King, T. and Chamberlan, C. (2007). First records for Congo-Brazzaville of Miombo Pied Barbet Tricholaema frontata, Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird Pogoniulus chrysoconus and Sladen’s Barbet Gymnobucco sladeni. Bull. African Bird Club. 14(2): 193-199. Close ).

SE Congo (2 King, T. and Chamberlan, C. (2007). First records for Congo-Brazzaville of Miombo Pied Barbet Tricholaema frontata, Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird Pogoniulus chrysoconus and Sladen’s Barbet Gymnobucco sladeni. Bull. Afr. Bird Club 14(2): 193–199. Close , 3 King, T. (2011). The birds of the Lesio-Louna and Lefini Reserves, Batéké Plateau, Republic of Congo. Malimbus 33(1):1–41. Close ), N, C & E DRCongo (E to near borders of Uganda and Rwanda); reported also SW Central African Republic.

Forest, including gallery forest (1 King, T. and Chamberlan, C. (2007). First records for Congo-Brazzaville of Miombo Pied Barbet Tricholaema frontata, Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird Pogoniulus chrysoconus and Sladen’s Barbet Gymnobucco sladeni. Bull. African Bird Club. 14(2): 193-199. Close ), often together with G. bonapartei, but details lacking.

Poorly known; feeds on Musanga and other fruits, including Canthium sp., Uapaca sp., Vitex sp. and Dioscorea sp. (1 King, T. and Chamberlan, C. (2007). First records for Congo-Brazzaville of Miombo Pied Barbet Tricholaema frontata, Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird Pogoniulus chrysoconus and Sladen’s Barbet Gymnobucco sladeni. Bull. African Bird Club. 14(2): 193-199. Close ), and also takes insects, including once in flight (4 King, T. (2011). The birds of the Lesio-Louna and Lefini Reserves, Bateke Plateau, Republic of Congo. Malimbus. 33(1): 1–41. Close ); few details available. Foraging groups of 5–15 individuals, occasionally up to 30, observed in Congo-Brazzaville (1 King, T. and Chamberlan, C. (2007). First records for Congo-Brazzaville of Miombo Pied Barbet Tricholaema frontata, Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird Pogoniulus chrysoconus and Sladen’s Barbet Gymnobucco sladeni. Bull. African Bird Club. 14(2): 193-199. Close ).

Considered noisy, but vocalizations poorly known (5 Short, L. L., and J. F. M. Horne (2001) Toucans, Barbets and Honeyguides. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ). Soft “pyew” notes, also rattling and chattering notes; similar to G. peli.

Probably lays Jan–Sept, inferred from dates of juveniles and was assumed to be parasitic (5 Short, L. L., and J. F. M. Horne (2001) Toucans, Barbets and Honeyguides. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ). Nest and eggs not known; associates with G. bonapartei, and presu­med to nest within their colonies. However, in Congo-Brazzaville, a colony of G. sladeni was found in Oct (when the season was apparently coming to an end), occupying holes in a standing dead tree which had lost its crown, forming a large open forest gap, and was observed being predated by an African Harrier-hawk (Polyboroides typus) (4 King, T. (2011). The birds of the Lesio-Louna and Lefini Reserves, Bateke Plateau, Republic of Congo. Malimbus. 33(1): 1–41. Close ); in same area, an adult with brood patch was trapped in mid-Aug and a juvenile in Nov (1 King, T. and Chamberlan, C. (2007). First records for Congo-Brazzaville of Miombo Pied Barbet Tricholaema frontata, Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird Pogoniulus chrysoconus and Sladen’s Barbet Gymnobucco sladeni. Bull. African Bird Club. 14(2): 193-199. Close ).

Not globally threatened. Very poorly known species; even basic data are needed for this barbet, as details of distribution and habits uncertain owing to confusion with similar but much commoner G. bonapartei. Available data considered insufficient to establish true status; apparently uncommon at best, and potentially rare. In view of absence of information, conservation status of this species probably merits reassessment. Recorded in Lesio-Louna Reserve, Congo-Brazzaville (1 King, T. and Chamberlan, C. (2007). First records for Congo-Brazzaville of Miombo Pied Barbet Tricholaema frontata, Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird Pogoniulus chrysoconus and Sladen’s Barbet Gymnobucco sladeni. Bull. African Bird Club. 14(2): 193-199. Close ). No readily perceived threats except those that are facing all hole-nesters in forest, especially fragmentation of habitat and removal of dead trees.