Stactolaema leucotis

This attractive barbet is one of the reasons my passion for birding was rekindled. We were visiting our family in December 2009 on the south coast of KwaZulu Natal when I spotted this species near to our parent’s home. It reminded me of the diversity of birdlife we have in South Africa as well as how much I had enjoyed birding as a youngster. Since then it has all been downhill.

This black-and-white species is a common resident in coastal forest and bush and is prone to feed more frequently on the ground than other members of the family.