Gilded Barbet

The Gilded Barbet is a vibrant, fruit-eating bird found year-round in Ecuador’s eastern lowland forests, particularly within the humid Amazon basin and lower Andean foothills below about 1,200 meters. It is locally common in terra firme forest and adjacent woodland, where it forages in the canopy for berries and figs, often in mixed-species flocks. Globally listed as Least Concern, its population remains stable across a broad range in northern South America, though it is sensitive to extensive deforestation. Nesting in tree cavities, the species is known for its thickset build, stubby bill, and striking plumage—males flaunt yellow eyebrows and red-orange throats, while females show more subdued streaking and coloration.