Photo: Tom Field / CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Moustached Tinkerbird
Pogoniulus leucomystax
Moustached Tinkerbird (Pogoniulus leucomystax) — 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 Moustached Tinkerbird (Pogoniulus leucomystax) is a member of the Lybiidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 11.8 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 Pogoniulus
- Species leucomystax
Quick facts
- Weight
- 11.8 g
- Diet
- Fruit-eaters
- Family
- Lybiidae
- Order
- Piciformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Moustached Tinkerbird is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Moustached Tinkerbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Moustached Tinkerbird (Pogoniulus leucomystax) is a member of the Lybiidae family, within the order Piciformes. It is found across Africa. Its distribution covers AF e Uganda and w Kenya to s Malawi.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 11.8 g, with a wing length of about 5.5 cm and a tail of around 2.9 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 553,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Moustached Tinkerbird?
The Moustached Tinkerbird is a very small bird that weighs around 11.8 g.
Where does the Moustached Tinkerbird live?
The Moustached Tinkerbird is found across Africa with a range covering AF e Uganda and w Kenya to s Malawi, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Moustached Tinkerbird belong to?
The Moustached Tinkerbird (Pogoniulus leucomystax) belongs to the Lybiidae family, in the order Piciformes.
What does the Moustached Tinkerbird eat?
The Moustached Tinkerbird is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Does the Moustached Tinkerbird migrate?
The Moustached Tinkerbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Moustached Tinkerbird 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 Moustached Tinkerbird make?
1 real field recording of the Moustached Tinkerbird — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Moustached Tinkerbird's range?
The Moustached Tinkerbird has a mapped global range of about 553,000 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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