Great barbet
| Great barbet | |
|---|---|
| |
| At Bhimtal, Nainital, Uttarakhand, India | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Piciformes |
| Family: | Megalaimidae |
| Genus: | Psilopogon |
| Species: | P. virens
|
| Binomial name | |
| Psilopogon virens (Boddaert, 1783)
| |
| Synonyms | |
|
Megalaima virens | |
The great barbet (Psilopogon virens) is an Asian barbet. Barbets are a group of near passerine birds with a worldwide tropical distribution. They get their name from the bristles which fringe their heavy bills.
Description
This is the largest barbet at 31–33 cm (12–13 in) in length and a weight of 192–295 g (6.8–10.4 oz).[2] It is a plump bird, with a short neck, large head and short tail.
The adult has a blue head, large yellow bill, brown back and breast, green-streaked yellow belly and red vent. The rest of the plumage is green. Both sexes and immature birds are similar.
Habitat and Breeding
The great barbet is a resident breeder in the lower-to-middle altitudes of the Himalayas, ranging across northern India, Nepal and Bhutan, Bangladesh[3] and some parts of Southeast Asia, as far away as Laos.
The nesting season is from April to July. This species typically builds nests in tree holes. The male and female birds share the parental duties.[3]
Diet
The diet of this species is mainly fruits and insects.[3]
Birdcall
The male's territorial call is a very loud kay-oh. The alarm is a harsh keeab, and another call is a repetitive piou-piou-piou-piou.
Gallery
-
Great barbet, Megalaima virens - Kaeng Krachan National Park, Thailand
-
Great barbet at Kumarhatti, Himachal Pradesh -
Great barbet at Kumarhatti, Himachal Pradesh -
Great barbet at Himachal
References
- ^ Template:IUCN
- ^ CRC Handbook of Avian Body Masses by John B. Dunning Jr. (Editor). CRC Press (1992), ISBN 978-0-8493-4258-5.
- ^ a b c Ali, Salim (1996). The Book of Indian Birds. India: Oxford University Press.
- Birdlife International
- Grimmett, Inskipp and Inskipp, Birds of India ISBN 0-691-04910-6
- Robson, Craig A Field Guide to the Birds of Thailand ISBN 1-84330-921-1