The white-mantled barbet (Capito hypoleucus) is a stocky bird, named after the white cape of plumage extending from its distinctive scarlet forehead and down its back (3) (4).
The white-mantled barbet has a black and white hind crown and mantle. Its upperparts and the side of its head are black and it has a white throat and chest. The underparts of this species are yellowish-white and it has a light brown band across the breast. The white-mantled barbet has a thick, pale yellow beak with a bluish-black tip (3).
The male and female white-mantled barbet are similar in appearance, although the female can be distinguished from the male by a black spot at the corner of the beak (5).
The call of the white-mantled barbet has been described as a deep croak, and the song consists of short, single notes (2) (5).
There are three subspecies of white-mantled barbet, which all differ slightly in plumage and distribution: Capito hypoleucus hypoleucus, Capito hypoleucus carrikeri and Capito hypoleucus extinctus (6).