Introducing the Versicolored barbet – a lively little bird with a vibrant coat of many colors, complete with a striking blue or yellow mustache.
The Eubucco versicolor, also known as the versicolored barbet, is a vibrant bird belonging to the New World barbets family. It boasts a multitude of colors and features a robust bill, typical among all barbet species. Although there are variations in the looks of different subspecies, male birds generally display a red face and crown, complemented by green to blue-green upperparts. Their lower breast area is characterized by a reddish hue with yellowish bellies embellished with green streaks.
The upper parts of female birds are colored in shades of green to blue-green, whereas their bellies have a tinge of yellow and green streaks. The length of all subspecies is approximately 6.3 inches.
The Versicolored Barbet can be spotted in South America, specifically in Bolivia and Peru. This species does not migrate and prefers to stay in their natural habitat.
The Versicolored barbet is attracted to submontane forests that are home to dense epiphytes and moss. It also thrives in mature secondary forests. All three varieties of the bird prefer habitats that are situated between 1,000 to 2,000 meters above sea level.
The primary source of sustenance for the default member of this particular breed is approximately 80% fruit and seeds, while the rest is predominantly made up of arthropods. When hunting for its arthropod quarry, it probes and rips apart dense bunches of withered foliage.
Not much information is available regarding the reproduction of this particular type of animal, and there is no information on the different types of sub-species. The main species breeds during the months of July to December, and it has been observed that a nest in a tree hole contained three eggs.
The IUCN has assessed two members of this species as Least Concern, while the Blue-chinned barbet is considered to be Near Threatened. This species is not commonly found and its population may be moderately small. There is a possibility that it is undergoing a relatively quick decline.
Observe this incredible winged creature in the following footage: