Chaplin's Barbet
Lybius chaplini
The Chaplin's Barbet (Lybius chaplini) is a legendary african barbet found in 2 countries, weighing about 69 g. Chaplin's barbet or the Zambian barbet, is a bird species in the family Lybiidae, which was until recently united with the other barbets in the Capitonidae.




About the Chaplin's Barbet
Chaplin's barbet or the Zambian barbet, is a bird species in the family Lybiidae, which was until recently united with the other barbets in the Capitonidae. This bird was named in honor of Sir Francis Drummond Percy Chaplin, a former colonial governor. The species was renamed to emphasize its status as Zambia's only true endemic bird species. It is endemic to South Central Zambia and is restricted to the area between the Upper Kafue River to Kabanga in the Kalomo District. Its natural habitats are moist savanna and arable land. It is threatened by habitat loss. It was formerly classified as a Near Threatened species by the IUCN. But new research has shown it to be rarer than it was…
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
Chaplin's barbet is a small bird species, measuring up to 19 cm (7.5 in) in length with a weight of 64–75 g (2.3–2.6 oz). It is a plump-looking barbet with a large head and a heavy bill with bristles. Its plumage is white with red around the eyes. Its tail is black and the wings are black with yellow on the edges. These birds are usually found in open woodland areas where figs are abundant, which is where this species prefers to gather food and nest.
Where it lives
When to see it
Best months: February, March, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December, with peak activity in November. It is a variable species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Chaplin's Barbet?
- Chaplin's barbet is a small bird species, measuring up to 19 cm (7.5 in) in length with a weight of 64–75 g (2.3–2.6 oz). Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Chaplin's Barbet?
- The Chaplin's Barbet is a medium sized bird weighing about 69 g.
- Where can you see a Chaplin's Barbet?
- The Chaplin's Barbet occurs in 2 countries, including Zambia and Namibia.
- What birds look similar to a Chaplin's Barbet?
- The Chaplin's Barbet is most easily confused with the Red-faced Barbet, the Banded Barbet and the Black-billed Barbet.
- Is the Chaplin's Barbet endangered?
- The Chaplin's Barbet is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Chaplin's Barbet for real
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