Yellow-fronted tinkerbird


The yellow-fronted tinkerbird is a small bird in the family Lybiidae formerly known as yellow-fronted tinker barbet. It is sometimes considered conspecific with its southern counterpart, the red-fronted tinkerbird, Pogoniulus pusillus. Barbets are near passerine birds with bristles around the base of the bill and a world-wide tropical distribution.

Subspecies

The subspecies vary with respect to size and colour tone of the plumage streaks. They include:P. c. chrysoconus P. c. extoni Layard, 1871 — southern AfricaP. c. xanthostictus
If P. c. extoni is restricted to the southernmost population occurring in southeastern Botswana, northern South Africa and Eswatini, the following two subspecies are also recognized:P. c. rhodesiae Grant, 1915 — Angola, Zambia, northeastern Namibia, Botswana and ZimbabweP. c. dryas Clancey & Lawson, 1961 — eastern to northern Mozambique and northwards

Range and habitat

The yellow-fronted tinkerbird is a widespread and frequently common resident breeder in much of Africa south of the Sahara Desert. It is associated with mesic, open to closed broadleaved or mixed woodlands and scrub. It is found in riparian vegetation but occurs only sparsely in dry savanna and teak woodlands.

Description

file:Pogoniulus chrysoconus, volwassene roep, 1 min 6 s, Moreletakloof NR, a.mp3|thumb|left|250px|The measured hooting call is delivered at a slower pace than that of the red-fronted tinkerbird
The yellow-fronted tinkerbird is approximately in length. It is plump, with a short neck, large head, and short tail. The adult has black upperparts heavily streaked with yellow and white. Its head has a strong black and white pattern, with a yellow forecrown spot. The underparts and rump are lemon yellow. Both sexes are similar in appearance, but young birds have a differentiating dark crown that lacks the distinct yellow spot.

Breeding

The species nests in cavities excavated in dead limbs of trees, some 2 to 5 meters above the ground. A clutch of 2 to 3 matt white eggs is laid on a base of wood chips at the bottom of the nesting chamber. The nestlings call persistently, and are reared on fruit and insects by both parents. Nests usually do not survive a season and maybe usurped by larger species of barbet.

Vocalizations

At about 100 repetitions per minute, the yellow-fronted tinkerbird's call is a fast tink-tink-tink-tink. Many barbets perch prominently, but, unlike their larger relatives, the smaller tinkerbirds sing from cover and are more frequently heard than seen.

Diet

The yellow-fronted tinkerbird eats insects and fruit. Mistletoe fruits are swallowed whole. The sticky seeds are regurgitated and wiped off on nearby branches. Across their distribution range, yellow-fronted tinkerbirds are the most important disperser of mistletoes.