Prong-billed Barbet

The Prong-billed Barbet, Semnornis frantzii, is a bird of considerable charm, with a robust silhouette and a notably large bill, which is silvery gray to bluish with a dark tip. This bill, featuring a distinctive notch at the tip of the mandible, gives the bird its name. Adults sport a dull golden brown crown, with a brownish olive nape and upper back, transitioning to an olive green lower back, rump, and uppertail coverts. Males are distinguished by a glossy black tuft at the rear of the crown, a feature absent in females. Both sexes share dull slaty black lores, cheeks, and chin, with the sides of their head, neck, and upper breast a buffy olive that turns yellowish on the lower breast. The belly is pale yellow, flanks are a dull grayish with a pale yellowish wash, and the wings are dusky.

Identification Tips

When identifying the Prong-billed Barbet, look for the unique bill structure, the coloration of the plumage, and the black tuft on the males. The bird measures 17 to 18.5 cm in length and weighs around 60 to 70 grams. Immature birds are generally duller than adults, with the black facial areas appearing grayer.

Habitat

This species thrives in the interior and edges of extremely humid montane evergreen forests, a habitat rich with epiphytes, mosses, and frequent fog.

Distribution

The Prong-billed Barbet is native to the highland forests of Costa Rica and western Panama, ranging in elevation from 750 to 2,450 meters on the Caribbean side of Costa Rica, and from 1,500 to 2,250 meters in Panama.

Behaviour

A non-migratory bird, the Prong-billed Barbet is known to forage in flocks of up to 12 outside the breeding season and roost communally in tree cavities. During the breeding season, they exhibit monogamous and territorial behavior.

Song & Calls

The song of the Prong-billed Barbet is a deep, resonant "cwa-cwa-cwa-cwa," often sung in duet or chorus. Their calls include low, dry rattles, a nasal "kwaaaah," a "skurr," bark-like "chuk" notes, and an alarm cackle.

Breeding

Breeding season commences in March with courtship, followed by nest cavity excavation in trees. The clutch typically consists of four or five eggs, with both parents sharing incubation duties and caring for the young.

Similar Species

While the Prong-billed Barbet is monotypic, meaning it has no subspecies, it can be confused with other barbets. However, its unique bill and vocalizations are key differentiators.

Diet and Feeding

The diet is predominantly fruit, with small fruits swallowed whole or torn apart, and nestlings are fed insects.

Conservation Status

The IUCN has classified the Prong-billed Barbet as Least Concern, with an estimated stable population of 20,000 to 50,000 mature individuals. It is common within its range and is protected in several parks and reserves in Costa Rica.