With their colorful plumage, Crested Barbets look like they are wearing a costume. They are feisty, and tend to be unafraid of humans. They are common in gardens as well as in the wild. They form monogamous pairs, and nest in the hollows they excavate in rotting trees. The males tend to be a little more brightly colored. We found this bird and his mate raising a brood in a dead tree near our tent next to the Rufigi River in the Nyerere National Park in Tanzania in November 2023. It was raining heavily, and the barbet liked perching where the canvas awning provided some protection. I was able to approach the birds, and take my time composing my shots.
I took the image with a Canon EOS R6 with a Canon 200-400 F4L IS USM 1.4 EXT lens, f6.3, ISO 3200, 1/1600 sec, 560 mm, handheld.
Great image. The bird has a kind of personality! Love it!
Hi Juergen,
Thanks! Crested barbets definitely have a personality. They are unafraid of humans, and will often forage within a meter or two. I think they take advantage of insects and other prey being startled by the human. In this case a pair of barbets was nesting in a dead tree at the edge of camp..They were very approachable. Cheers!
I love this shot, what an unusal bird.
Thanks Edwin! I love this bird as well!