The four Gymnobucco species are Africas least observed group of barbets as they are restricted to the less

visited tropics of central and west Africa. Naked-faced and Bristle-nosed Barbets occur in the forests along the west coast of Africa, Gray-throated in central Africas rainforests and Sladens is endemic to great rainforests of the Democratic Republic of Congo. They are all olive-gray in coloration, have variable e tents of bare s!in around the face, and all have loud hooting and trumpeting calls. Their generic name Gymnobucco translates to "na!ed-trumpeter# as a result of these features. They nest in colonies that sometimes number hundreds of birds, who e cavate do$ens of holes into the trun!s of dead rainforest trees.