Birds · Piciformes · Capitonidae

Red-headed Barbet

Eubucco bourcierii

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

The red-headed barbet, known in Spanish as torito cabecirrojo and also as capitán de cabeza roja, cabezón cabecirrojo, capitán cabecirrojo, ruiseñor or barbudo de cabeza roja, is a species of piciform bird of the family Capitonidae of the Neotropics, whose range extends from Costa Rica to Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela, occupying wooded areas.

Weight

30 g – 45 g

Size

15 cm – 17 cm

Lifespan

12 years

Diet

Omnivore

Combines animal and plant food depending on availability.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Social structure

In pairs

Usually lives in pairs, sometimes for life.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

RainforestMountainOmnivore Diurnal In pairs Bird Rainforest Mountain

6countries

Fun facts

The American, African and Asian barbets share a name and look very alike, but they do not form a natural group: genetic studies have separated them into different families, and the resemblance is convergence.
It excavates its own nest in trunks and branches of rotten wood, like a woodpecker, and a pair can take weeks to finish the cavity.
Its name comes from the stiff bristles around the base of the bill, modified feathers whose function is still debated and that give the whole group its name.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bird)
Habitat & environment: Humid montane forest and foothill rainforest of Central America and the northern Andes
Sexual maturity: 12 months
Gestation / incubation: 15 days of incubation
Litter / clutch size: 3 eggs

Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eubucco_bourcierii