Five-colored Barbet

The five-colored barbet (Capito quinticolor) is a species of bird in the family Capitonidae, the New World barbets. It is found in Colombia and Ecuador.

Taxonomy and systematics: The five-colored barbet is monotypic. It and the white-mantled barbet (Capito hypoleucos) were briefly thought to be a single species. DNA data have shown it instead to be sister to black-girdled barbet (C. dayi).

 The five-colored barbet is 17 to long and weighs 54 to. The male is mostly black above with a yellow "V" on the mantle. It has a red crown and nape and yellow wingbars. Its throat and breast are yellow brightening to gold or orange on the belly; the flanks have black spots. The female is also black above but heavily streaked with gold. Its throat, breast, and belly are colored like the male´s but have black spots throughout.

Distribution and habitat: The five-colored barbet is found from central Chocó Department in western Colombia south into Ecuador´s most northwesterly province, Esmeraldas. It inhabits wet primary and mature secondary forest and their edges and disturbed areas. In elevation it usually ranges from near sea level to 350 m but locally can be found up to approximately 600 m.

Feeding: The five-colored barbet´s diet is primarily fruit but it also takes insects. It forages from mid-level to the canopy in the forest interior; in the forest edges it also feeds in the understory. It sometimes joins mixed-species foraging flocks.

Breeding: The five-colored barbet´s breeding phenology is practically unknown. Specimens in breeding condition suggest that its breeding season spans from April to July. A third adult has been observed accompanying apparently mated pairs.

Vocalization: The five-colored barbet´s song is a "low-pitched, hollow, hoop trill" ; both sexes sing. It also has a "guttural ´churr´ call" .

Status: The IUCN has assessed the five-colored barbet as Near Threatened; between 2009 and 2020 it was rated as the more severe Vulnerable. "[Its] population is thought to be small and suspected to be in decline due to the loss and degradation of habitat."