Exploring Pigeon Valley: The White-eared Barbet

This is the 77th article in an ongoing series that highlights the riches of Pigeon Valley, the urban nature reserve in the heart of Glenwood. The focus of this article is on the White-eared Barbet.

I could not resist this shot of an individual White-eared Barbet giving voice at the top of a tree at the reservoir by Pigeon Valley. The location is typical, but you are much more likely to see it with its relatives clustered around – as indeed they were, out of the photo.

There are four barbet species along our coast and I have already presented the Crested and Black-collared. The rarest is the Green Barbet, found only in the stunning Ngoye Forest near Mtunzini. The White-eared is not as common as the Crested and Black-collared; it is spread along the coast, relying on the many Ficus species in particular.

ALSO READ: Exploring Pigeon Valley: The Crested Barbet

It was originally rare in Durban but is now well-established. To some extent, that has been at the expense of the Black-collared Barbets, as White-eared Barbets have been successful in taking over nesting holes in trees.

These are very social and vocal birds; a large group may roost in one hole. This co-operation extends to individuals assisting a nesting pair by helping to excavate the hole and even feeding the young. After the nestlings have hatched in the nesting hole, you will see one or more adults nearby quietly guarding it.

During their long time in the nest, the nestlings chatter constantly. When I first encountered this, I stared at the tree for a long time, trying to see which birds were calling, until I saw an adult arrive with food at a hole. As the nestlings grow, you will see them taking turns at staring out of the hole, with their immature pink bills, until a parent or helper brings food – fruit or insects.

Crispin Hemson chairs the Friends of Pigeon Valley, a group that undertakes clearing of alien plants, keeps records of bird and mammal sightings and alerts management to any problems.

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At the time of going to press, the contents of this feature mirrored South Africa’s lockdown regulations.

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