The Barbets

The Andean barbet, also known as the red-headed barbet, is found in Central and South America and is a member of the American barbet family. The male has a striking red head and a strong yellow beak while the rest of the plumage is mainly green. The female differs significantly from the male bearing an olive green body and no red head. Because of these striking differences, males and females were initially mistaken for different species. 

The Andean barbets have an average of about 3 inch long wings and reach a weight of just over 1 ounce. Their beak can be up to ¾ of an inch long. In Costa Rica you can watch the beautiful birds at altitudes of 400 to 2100 meters. They prefer to live near dense forests in humid tropical and subtropical mountain forests with dense bushes. Here they feeds on fruits, berries and insects. The Andean barbet is a loner and males and females are rarely seen together. The breeding season is between March and June. The female lays two to five eggs which both parents incubate equally. After about 15 days the young hatch and after another 31 days they fly out.

The second species of barbet found in Costa Rica is the Aztec barbet also known as the Aztec clickbeard or tine beak. It is part of the toucan barbet family. With a weight of just over 2 grams and a wing length of about 3.5 inches it is slightly larger and heavier than the Andean barbet. Males and females are inconspicuously colored in green and brown tones and look very similar except for a crest of feathers on the neck of the male. 

In contrast to the Andean barbet, the Aztec barbet is only found in Central America. Here they live in humid cloud forests at an altitude of 1200 and 2200 meters. They can usually be found in the middle or lower tree regions as well as on the edges of forests with adjacent meadows and pastures. Usually you can see the birds in small groups of about five animals, however, during the mating season they are usually only found in pairs. 

Aztec barbets, like the Andean barbet, feed on fruits and berries and occasionally insects. They breed in burrows that they make themselves in soft wood. After the burrow is finished, the female lays four to five eggs in the nest she made. This barbet species takes turns incubating the eggs. After about 15 days the naked and blind chicks hatch which are first fed with insects and later with fruit.