Black-spotted Barbet Capito niger Scientific name definitions

The Black-spotted Barbet was formerly considered conspecific with the Gilded Barbet (Capito auratus), with the unified species being the most widely distributed of the Neotropical barbets. Under modern taxonomy, this species is confined to a relatively small portion of northern Amazonia, from eastern Venezuela, through the Guianas to northeast Brazil. In the field, it is separated from members of the Gilded Barbet complex of taxa by the male’s combination of white wingbar, solid red forehead and throat, streaked crown, and relatively pale underparts. Females share the red throat and forehead, but are heavily streaked with black below, as well as over the cheeks and back. It inhabits a wide variety of forest types, except seasonally flooded areas, but is mainly found in the canopy. The Black-spotted Barbet feeds on fruit and insects, and small groups may gather at fruiting trees.

16–19 cm; 41–68 g. Brightly patterned barbet  , with spots  or streaks below; much individual variation in richness of coloration. Previously considered to be conspecific with C. auratus (see Taxonomy comments). Male has red forehead, yellowish crown and nape, latter streaked dusky, whitish to straw-yellow supercilia; broad black band  from lores back to neck side; upperparts black with yellowish line on each side of mantle, pale yellowish wingbar and tips of tertials; throat red, breast  and belly  yellow, flanks tinged olive with some black streaks. Female  more heavily marked  , pale flecking and edging above, more heavily spotted or streaked below  . Immature  duller.

E Venezuela, the Guianas, and NE Brazil N of Amazon.

Lowland and low hill floodplain-forest, terra firme forest, riverine and várzea forest in later successional stages, second growth, edges, clearings, and gardens and plantations; reaches humid lower montane forest, and mossy elfin forest in Peru; also in palms and forest patches in some savanna areas, and coastal sand-ridge forest in the Guianas. Up to just 200 m in Venezuela and to 800 m in the Guianas (Wilhelmina Mts).

Resident, and sedentary, no movements known.

Diet  and foraging behaviour presumably much as C. auratus. Constituents of mixed-species flocks that this species sometimes joins also include Crimson-hooded Manakin (Pipra aureola) and White-fronted Manakin (Lepidothrix serena).

Compared to previously conspecific C. auratus, this species is quiet and infrequently heard. Song  of double, sometimes single, low “wú-woot” notes, with emphasis on first note of each pair, in series for 20–40 seconds, ventriloquial, 7–8 notes per second, initially faint, becoming stronger and more rhythmic, and has somewhat Geotrygon-like quality. No evidence to date that calls  differ from C. auratus (which see), but these are very infrequently heard.

Sept–May or later, to Jul. Display involves cocking and twisting of tail, male bouncing around female, also flutter-flight displays, chases; male sings with head arched and bill down, tail flicking upwards with each note. Pair excavates cavity  at 5–12 m in tree, cavity c. 21–30 cm deep, with entrance hole c. 4·5 cm in diameter. Eggs 3–4, white, mean size 27 mm × 18 mm; both parents incubate, period unknown; fledging at c. 34 days, but young may be fed by adults for another c. 3 weeks after leaving nest.

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Endemic to the Guiana Shield. Status not well known, especially in Brazilian portion of overall range, but fairly common in Venezuela, uncommon in Guyana, and frequent and widespread in Surinam and French Guiana. Known from a number of protected areas, including Faro State Forest, Trombetas State Forest, Grão Pará Ecological Station, Maicuru Biological Reserve and Paru State Forest, all in Pará, N Brazil (2 Aleixo, A., F. Poletta, M. F. C. Lima, M. Castro, E. Portes, and L. Sousa Miranda (2011). Notes on the vertebrates of northern Pará, Brazil: a forgotten part of the Guianan Region, II. Avifauna. Boletim do Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi Ciências Naturais 6(1):11–65. Close ).