D'Arnaud's Barbet (Trachyphonus darnaudii) [XC44571]
by Rory Nefdt from Muska Lodge, Turmi, S. Omo, Ethiopia (?)
D'Arnaud's Barbet (Trachyphonus darnaudii) [XC467119]
by Frank Lambert from near Mkomazi NP, Tanzania (song)
Subspecies
D'Arnaud's Barbet (Trachyphonus darnaudii) and Usambiro Barbet (Trachyphonus usambiro) (Sibley and Monroe 1990, 1993) are retained as separate species contra Dowsett and Forbes-Watson (1993) who include usambiro as a subspecies of D'Arnaud's Barbet (Trachyphonus darnaudii).
Related to the Yellow-breasted Barbet (Trachyphonus margaritatus) superspecies, but not very closely. Subspecies usambiro sometimes considered a full species on basis of vocal and other differences, but one of two duet roles is identical to those of other subspecies, and usambiro is no more distinct than are they. Nominate includes proposed subspecies zedlitzi (L Baringo, Kenya).
The following 4 subspecies are recognised:
darnaudii (Prévost & Des Murs, 1847) - South-eastern Sudan and south-western Ethiopia south to north-eastern Uganda and west-central Kenya.
boehmi Fischer, GA & Reichenow, 1884 - Southern and eastern Ethiopia and southern Somalia south to east-central and south-eastern Kenya and north-eastern Tanzania.
usambiro Neumann, 1908 - South-western Kenya to central-northern Tanzania. Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Usambiro Barbet (Trachyphonus usambiro).
emini Reichenow, 1891 - North-central Tanzania (east to Dar es Salaam suburbs).
BirdLife International Species Factsheet