| Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird | |
|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Piciformes |
| Family: | Lybiidae |
| Genus: | Pogoniulus |
| Species: | P. chrysoconus |
| Binomial name | |
| Pogoniulus chrysoconus (Temminck, 1832) |
|
The Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird, Pogoniulus chrysoconus, is a small African barbet formerly known as Yellow-fronted Tinker Barbet. Barbets are near passerine birds with bristles around the base of the bill and a world-wide tropical distribution.
The Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird is a widespread and frequently common resident breeder in much of Africa, south of the Sahara Desert. It is sometimes considered conspecific with its southern counterpart, the Red-fronted Tinkerbird, Pogoniulus pusillus.
Associated with dry open woodland and scrub, the Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird eats insects and fruit. The species nests in tree holes and lays two or three eggs.
The Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird is a barbet that is approximately 11 cm in length. A plump bird, the Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird has a short neck, large head, and short tail. The adult Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird has black upperparts heavlly streaked with yellow and white. Its head has a strong black and white pattern, with a yellow forecrown spot. The Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird's underparts and rump are lemon yellow.
Both sexes are similar in appearance; however, young birds have a differentiating dark crown that lacks the distinct yellow spot.
At about 100 repetitions per minute, the Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird's call is a fast tink-tink-tink-tink. Many barbets perch prominently, but, unlike their larger relatives, the smaller tinkerbirds sing from cover and are more frequently heard than seen.