barbet

barbet
/bahr"bit/, n.
any of several stocky, tropical birds of the family Capitonidae, having a stout bill with bristles at the base.
[1745-55; < F L barbatus; see BARBATE]

* * *

Any of about 75 species of tropical birds (family Capitonidae) named for the bristles at the base of their stout, sharp bill.

They are big-headed and short-tailed, 3.5–12 in. (9–30 cm) long, and greenish or brownish with splashes of bright colours or white. Barbets are found throughout Central America and in northern South America, in sub-Saharan Africa, and in South Asia. They all fly weakly, and they sit in treetops when not feeding on insects, lizards, birds' eggs, fruits, and berries. They call loudly while jerking the head or tail. Maddeningly vocal or repetitious species are sometimes called brain-fever birds.

Crimson-headed barbet (Capito bourcieri).

C. Laubscher-Bruce Coleman Inc./EB Inc.

* * *

bird
      any of about 75 species of tropical birds constituting the family Capitonidae (order Piciformes). Barbets are named for the bristles at the bases of their stout, sharp bills. They are big-headed, short-tailed birds, 9–30 cm (3.5–12 inches) long, greenish or brownish, with splashes of bright colours or white. The smallest barbets are known as tinkerbirds (tinkerbird) (see tinkerbird). The distribution of the family spans Central America to northern South America; sub-Saharan Africa; and Southeast Asia, eastward only to Borneo and Bali. All are nonmigratory.

      Barbets sit stolidly in treetops when not feeding on insects, lizards, birds' eggs, fruit, and berries. Some climb like woodpeckers; all fly weakly. The nest is a hole, dug with the beak, high up in a rotting tree or in a termite nest.

      Barbets call loudly, jerking the head or tail; a male and a female may call alternately or together. Some species, such as the coppersmith (Megalaima haemacephala) of Asia and the African tinkerbirds of the genus Pogoniulus, are noted for their ringing calls. Maddeningly vocal or repetitious species are sometimes called brain-fever birds.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат

Look at other dictionaries:

  • barbet — [ barbɛ ] n. m. • fin XIIIe; de 1. barbe 1 ♦ Espèce d épagneul à poil long et frisé. Adj. Chien barbet. ⇒ caniche. 2 ♦ Rouget. Appos. Rouget barbet. ● barbet nom masculin (de …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Barbet — Französischer Wasserhund FCI Standard Nr. 105 Gruppe 8: Apportierhunde – Stöber …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • barbet — BARBÉT, barbeţi, s.m. Prepelicar cu păr lânos şi creţ, dresat pentru vânătoarea de baltă. – Din fr. barbet. Trimis de valeriu, 13.09.2007. Sursa: DEX 98  barbét (prepelicar) s. m., pl. barbéţi Trimis de siveco, 10.08.2004. Sursa: Dicţionar… …   Dicționar Român

  • barbet — barbet, ette (bar bè, bè t ) s. m. et f. 1°   Chien à long poil et frisé.    Adj. •   Circé.... changeait en chiens barbets les compagnons d Ulysse, VOLT. Ép. 97. •   Les chiens barbets ont beau avoir la réputation d être les meilleurs amis du… …   Dictionnaire de la Langue Française d'Émile Littré

  • barbet — BARBET, ETTE. s. Chien à poil long et frisé, qui va à l eau. Ce barbet va bien à l eau, il rapporte bien. Tondre un barbet. Une belle barbette. [b]f♛/b] On dit familièrement d Un homme fort crotté, qu Il est crotté comme un barbet; et d Un homme… …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie Française 1798

  • barbet — Barbet. s. m. Chien à poil frisé qui va à l eau. Ce barbet va bien à l eau, il apporte bien. On dit d Un homme fort crotté, qu Il est croté comme un barbet. On dit d Un homme qui en suit un autre par tout, qu Il le suit comme un barbet …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

  • Barbet — Bar bet, n. [F. barbet, fr. barbe beard, long hair of certain animals. See {Barb} beard.] (Zo[ o]l.) (a) A variety of small dog, having long curly hair. (b) A bird of the family {Bucconid[ae]}, allied to the Cuckoos, having a large, conical beak… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Barbet — can refer to:* One of four families of birds formerly contained in the single family Capitonidae. These are the: ** African barbets, Lybiidae ** American barbets, Capitonidae ** Asian barbets, Megalaimidae ** Toucan barbets, Semnornithidae*… …   Wikipedia

  • Barbet — Fréquent dans de nombreuses régions, le nom est surtout porté dans le Nord et dans la Sarthe. C est un diminutif de barbe, surnom donné à un barbu. Variantes : Barbey (Normandie), Barbez (Nord). En composition, on recontre le nom Barbet Massin,… …   Noms de famille

  • Barbet — Barbet, 1) eine Art Wasserhunde, s.u. Hühnerhund; 2) der männliche Hund; 3) (Putzm.), s. Barbe 2) …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Barbēt — (Barbud, pers.), ein Musikstück u. das Saiteninstrument, auf welchem man dasselbe spielt …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”