Garden birds of Alberton: The Crested Barbet
The crested barbet is a colourful bird that can be seen throughout Alberton.
Did you know the crested barbet is a colourful bird that can be seen throughout gardens in Alberton?
The crested barbet is a small bird with a yellow face and breast with red spots on its front. The wings and tail are black with white specks. A prominent feature is the black crest the bird is named after.
Crested barbets are prodigious foragers, hopping along the ground in search of food. They predominantly eat insects, seed and fruit. Their love of fruit is a major factor in this bird’s appearance in gardens, where they peck on fruit trees.
Barbets make their nests in dead tree branches. Both parents hollow out a nest in which up to five eggs are laid. Parents defend their nests aggressively from other birds. Crested barbets are known to chase smaller birds from their nests.
People wanting to attract barbets to their gardens are advised to put a sisal log against one of their trees. These logs make perfect nesting sites for urban barbets and woodpeckers.
Crested barbets are a welcome addition to any garden, as a breeding pair can keep a garden completely free of the common garden snail, a common pest.
Sources:
Newman’s Birds of Southern Africa, Kenneth Newman
SA Venues https://www.sa-venues.com/wildlife/birds_crested_barbet.htm
Birds of Eden https://www.birdsofeden.co.za/crested-barbet_article_op_view_id_193
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