Tricholaema hirsuta (Swainson, 1821)

Taxonomy and Common Name

This species, Tricholaema hirsuta (Swainson, 1821), commonly called the hairy-breasted barbet, measures 17–18 cm (6.7–7.1 in) in length and weighs 43–63 g (1.5–2.2 oz).

Male Head Markings

Males have a blue-black head marked with a white superciliary line and a white malar stripe.

Male Upperparts and Wings

Their upperparts are black, with yellow spots on the back and yellow bars on the rump; the tail and wings are brown-black, and some wing feathers have yellow edges.

Male Underparts

The throat is black, while the breast and flanks are yellow with black markings.

Male Soft Parts

Males have a black beak, grey legs, and red or red-brown eyes.

Female Plumage Differences

Females have more golden yellow dorsal markings and underparts than males.

Immature Plumage

Immature individuals have laxer plumage, with paler, sparser spots on the upperparts, and more heavily barred black markings on the vent.

Subspecies Plumage Variation Overview

Three recognized subspecies differ in their plumage patterns.

Subspecies T. h. flavipunctata

The subspecies T. h. flavipunctata has no head stripes, with white spots on the face, yellow spots on the head, a browner back, and dull brownish-yellow underparts.

Subspecies T. h. angolensis

T. h. angolensis is browner than T. h. flavipunctata, has fine whitish spots on its face, a brownish vent, and a brown-white throat marked with brown bars.

Subspecies T. h. ansorgii

T. h. ansorgii has narrow lines on its face, a white throat streaked with black, a browner upper body, and less bright underparts.

Distribution Range

The hairy-breasted barbet is distributed across Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Tanzania, Togo and Uganda.

Total Range Area

Its total range is estimated to cover 6,840,000 km2 (2,640,000 sq mi).

Elevation and Habitat

It occurs at elevations up to 1,800 m (5,900 ft), and primarily inhabits lowland primary forests, though it also occurs in older secondary forests.