Malabar Barbet
Psilopogon malabaricus
A chunky green barbet with diagnostic red over its entire face, forehead, throat, and breast. It has a diffuse blue band on the sides of the head and breast, while a thick black traverse band separates the blue parts from the red. Some faint streaking visible below on an otherwise green ground color. Juvenile is duller green, lacks the prominent face pattern of the adult, sports a gray band instead of blue, and shows some yellow among the red feathers. Juvenile is best told from a juvenile Coppersmith Barbet by its unstreaked underparts. Malabar Barbet is heard more often than seen. Its call is a fast paced “kuk-kuk-kuk,” doubtfully separable from that of a Coppersmith by its sometimes slightly faster pace. Malabar sticks to the wetter jungles of the Western Ghats and does not occupy the drier or more open habitats of the Coppersmith, though in some localities both species co-occur.
Identification
This species can be told apart from the coppersmith barbet by the crimson face and throat. The call notes are more rapidly delivered than in the other species.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Psilopogon malabaricus
- Authority
- (Blyth, 1847)
- Order
- Piciformes
- Family
- Megalaimidae
- Genus
- Psilopogon
Range and habitat
This species is found in the Western Ghats from around Goa south to southern Kerala in moist evergreen forest mainly below 1200 m elevation. They are also found in coffee estates. They often visit fruiting Ficus species, joining flocks of green pigeon and mynas.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
These birds are usually seen in pairs during the breeding season but are gregarious in the non-breeding season. In flight, their straight and rapid flight can resemble that of lorikeets. The breeding season is mainly February–March prior to the rains. The nest hole is excavated on the underside of thin branches. It takes about 18 days to excavate the nest. These nest holes are often destroyed by larger barbets that may attempt to enlarge the hole. A nest is made each year. Multiple holes may be made and any extra hole may be used for roosting. Two eggs are laid in a clutch. They are incubated for 14 to 15 days. Eggs may be preyed upon by palm squirrels (Funambulus sp.) and they are usually chased away by the adult birds. Unhatched eggs are removed by the parents. For the first week the chicks are fed insects after which they are fed fruits. The chicks fledge in about 35 days.<p>The species feeds mainly on fruits but sometimes takes grubs, termites (flycatching at emerging swarms of alates), ants and small caterpillars. In Kerala, the fruiting trees were limited mainly to Ficus species, especially Ficus retusa, Ficus gibbosa and Ficus tsiela. When feeding on small fruits, they tend to perch and peck rather than to swallow the fruit whole. In the non-breeding season, they join mixed-species foraging flocks.
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Narina Trogon
Apaloderma narina
A spectacular, mostly iridescent-metallic-green bird, with a scarlet belly, broad yellow bill, and white under tail. The face and throat of the male are green, while the females’ are dirty gray-brown. It sits upright and still in the canopy of riverine and lowland forest, watching for insect prey, then flying fast and directly to catch it. During the breeding season, its soft, deep, throaty “huooo-huooo” call makes it much easier to find. The similar Bare-cheeked Trogon differs by having a face with a large bare yellow skin patches that extend from cheek to bill--not small blue-green spots. Bar-tailed Trogon has a heavily-barred undertail and prefers montane forest above 900 m.
House Crow
Corvus splendens
A slender, blackish medium-sized crow with a long bill. The grayish nape and sides form a paler collar that contrasts with the glossy black body. Primarily a scavenger, feeding on leftover rubbish from humans. Found in a wide range of habitats mostly around human habitation. Their call is a loud and harsh “kaa kaa kaa.”
Arafura Shrikethrush
Colluricincla megarhyncha
A chunky bird with a notably thick bill. Shows lots of geographical variation. For example, birds in some areas are grayish with a black bill, pale face, and dull cinnamon wash below; in other areas birds are dark brown on the upperparts and rich rufous below with a pale bill. Found at low and middle elevations in a variety of humid forest, including secondary forest, swamp forest, and mangroves. Rich, melodious, variable song consists of several penetrating whistles, generally in an up-and-down pattern, often ending with one or more exuberant upslurred notes. Calls include “chek” and “whit” notes. Somewhat similar to Rusty Pitohui, but smaller, with a dark rather than pale eye. Similar in size and shape to Sooty Shrikethrush and Black Pitohui, but never as uniformly dark. Also similar to Gray Shrikethrush, but smaller and browner, with some breast streaking.
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