About Lybius dubius (J.F.Gmelin, 1788)
Lybius dubius, commonly known as the bearded barbet, is a conspicuous, large barbet that reaches an overall length of 26 centimetres (10 in). This species is fairly plump, with a short neck, large head, and a moderately short tail. Adult bearded barbets have black crowns, backs, tails, and breast bands. Their throats and bellies are red, they have a yellow patch around the eye, and their rump is white. They have a very thick, massive yellow bill, and the well-developed cluster of bristles at the base of the bill gives the species its common name. Males and females have similar plumage. The call of this species is a growling scrawk. The bearded barbet is a common resident breeding bird found in tropical west Africa. It is an arboreal species that lives in wooded landscapes and gardens; it feeds primarily on fruit, although insect prey is fed to its young. It occurs in well-wooded areas with abundant fig trees, and it will enter gardens to feed on fruit.
