Photo: Gossipguy / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
White-headed Barbet
Lybius leucocephalus
White-headed Barbet (Lybius leucocephalus) — Woodpeckers & Toucans of Africa.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The White-headed Barbet (Lybius leucocephalus) is a member of the Lybiidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 62.8 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Piciformes
- Family Lybiidae African Barbets
- Genus Lybius
- Species leucocephalus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 62.8 g
- Diet
- Fruit-eaters
- Family
- Lybiidae
- Order
- Piciformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The White-headed Barbet is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open woodland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The White-headed Barbet is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The White-headed Barbet (Lybius leucocephalus) is a species of bird in the Lybiidae family, part of the order Piciformes. It occurs naturally across Africa. Its distribution covers AF ec, wc, sw.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 62.8 g, with a wing length of about 9.3 cm and a tail of around 5.3 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 1.9 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the White-headed Barbet?
The White-headed Barbet is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 62.8 g.
Where does the White-headed Barbet live?
The White-headed Barbet is found across Africa with a range covering AF ec, wc, sw, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the White-headed Barbet belong to?
The White-headed Barbet (Lybius leucocephalus) belongs to the Lybiidae family, in the order Piciformes.
What does the White-headed Barbet eat?
The White-headed Barbet is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Does the White-headed Barbet migrate?
The White-headed Barbet is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the White-headed Barbet endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the White-headed Barbet make?
1 real field recording of the White-headed Barbet — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the White-headed Barbet's range?
The White-headed Barbet has a mapped global range of about 1.9 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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