Red-fronted Barbet Tricholaema diademata Scientific name definitions

16–17 cm; 22–25 g. Small, short-tailed barbet with black, white and yellow plumage, prominent notch on bill tomia. Male of nominate race has red forehead, yellow supercilia, white throat, yellow streaks on back, yellow rump; whitish below, with few blackish spots on flanks. Distinguished from T. leucomelas by whitish, not black, throat and upper breast; from similar Pogoniulus pusillus by larger size, differences in head pattern. Female averages less red on forehead. Immature duller, with lax plumage, red on forehead smaller or lacking, no “tooth” on bill. Race massaica differs from nominate in having, on average, more spots or spot-streaks ventrally , though variation great.

Editor's Note: This article requires further editing work to merge existing content into the appropriate Subspecies sections. Please bear with us while this update takes place.

Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

Occupies woodland such as <em>Acacia</em> and Combretum woods, but also wooded grassland and pastures with bushes; generally found in drier situations than is T. lacrymosa, and in more moist sites than those favoured by T. melanocephala. Occurs at 600–2100 m.

Resident and sedentary.

Eats fruits such as those of Carissa edulis, Euclea, Grewia and others, also tendrils of vines and thistle-like seeds; in addition, in captivity, will feed on foods such as lettuce, apples and carrots; also takes insects, including termites, grasshoppers and ants, and captives accepted egg yolk, fly maggots, mealworms and locusts. Egests pellets of fruit stones, seeds and insect parts. Gleans from branches and foliage; goes to ground to take termites, and also breaks into tunnels on trees to eat them.

Primary song slow to fast series of up to 20 “hoop” notes, usually 4–6 per second; fast “hoop” songs by paired birds mark early breeding season; secondary song “nyah” or “yeah” notes given singly or in series at 1–1·5 per second; occasionally “nyah” notes interjected into “hoop” song; interactive, chattery, fast “yeh” notes in series; also grating “chaaa” calls, low “di-di-” notes, higher “tik-tik-” calls. Also wing-rustling.

Jan–Sept in most areas, also Nov–Mar in N Tanzania. Singing posture with bill pointing down, rump and throat feathers erected; crown and forehead feathers erect during encounters; aerial display by male to female, but little or no display before copulation. Nest, excavated by both adults, at 1–8 m in stub or branch of tree, euphorbia or sisal stem; territory large, with irregular borders, size uncertain. Eggs 2–4; incubation period uncertain, over 12 days, individual sessions of up to 3 hours, off-duty adult guards nest; adults tap, perhaps enlarging chamber, while incubating; chicks fed by both adults, at intervals of 5–30 minutes, nestling period c. 28 days; young leave territory c. 2 months after fledging. Nests parasitized by Lesser Honeyguide (Indicator minor).

Not globally threatened. Uncommon in Kenya and N Tanzania. Numbers seem to be stable. Species is somewhat adaptable, as it frequents degraded habitats that retain potential nesting and roosting sites. Range sometimes reported as extending to NW Somalia, but this requires confirmation. Occurs in several protected areas, e.g. Lake Nakuru National Park (Kenya) and Serengeti National Park (Tanzania).