Disambiguation: this species in the past included what is now Black-eared Barbet and Yellow-eared Barbet
- Psilopogon cyanotis
Identification
16-17 cm, 6.3-6.7 inches. 31.6-39.5 g, 1.1-1.4 oz.
- forehead black
- crown with blue which extends to mid-crown; hind crown green
- throat light or pale blue
- band between the throat and breast black; thickness varies with subspecies, may have red to the rear of the band
- ear-coverts black
- spot below eye large, red
- stripe behind and above eye red
- stripe from near base of bill back extending rearwards white washed red (separated from bill base by black)
- body green
- ear-coverts blue
- beak dark, stout
See also Subspecies.
Similar species
Several other mostly green, small barbets are in the area. Color pattern in face, crown, and throat areas are important to note for separation.
Distribution
Asia: found in China, Tibet, Nepal, India, Eastern Himalayas, Bangladesh, Bhutan
Southeast Asia: Indochina, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, Malay Peninsula,
Taxonomy
Black-eared Barbet, Blue-eared Barbet and Yellow-eared Barbet were treated as a single species, Blue-eared Barbet, in the past. Whether the split is warranted depends among other things on whether one finds the hybrid zone between the black-eared and blue-eared forms is wide or narrow -- different sources differ on this. The main, world-wide authorities at the moment split all three, and Opus follows.
Sometimes placed in the genus Megalaima.
Subspecies
Clements recognizes these subspecies[1]:
- P. c. cyanotis: South-eastern Nepal to Bangladesh, north-eastern India, southern China, Burma, Malay Peninsula. [Blue ear-coverts; orangey red cheek patch; narrow black band between throat and breast]
- P. c. orientalis: Eastern Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. [Blue ear-coverts; generally slightly larger and paler than P. d. cyanotis; thin red patch below the black line separating the throat and breast]
Several additional subspecies are not recognised by all authorities [3].
Habitat
Mainly primary coniferous forest, forest edge in lowlands and foothills. May frequent new growth and patchy forest. Also visits plantations, gardens, deciduous and bamboo forest. Mainly below 1200 m asl, but below 700 m in Bhutan. Has been recorded to 1525 m in southeast Asia and to 1600 m in southwest China
Behaviour
Usually seeks food in canopy, avoiding lower levels of the forest.
Diet
Fruit of figs and other trees. Also some insects. Forages in groups of up to 100 at fruiting trees in Thailand. Has been seen foraging with pigeons and other species.
Breeding
The breeding season is largely dependant on geography. Sings for up to 2 hours at a time during the breeding season by both pair members simultaneously. Head-bobbing, lateral tail movement. During courtship, fruit is offered before copulation. Nest excavated in dead tree, often on the underside of branches at up to 25 m, but mainly between 3-12 m.
Blue-eared Group
Lays 4 white eggs.
Breeding season:
- January to August in much of range.
- March to September in Thailand.
Vocalisation
The double note song is given throughout range, but study is needed to document the variations with the species.
Black-eared Group
A "chiok-chiok-chiok" territorial call lasts up to 2 hours. The courtship call is a lot softer, not unlike a referee's whistle at 1-2 second intervals lasting for minutes.
Movement
Resident, territorial and sedentary with some post breeding movement away from breeding areas in search of fruit.
References
- Clements, J. F., P. C. Rasmussen, T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, T. A. Fredericks, J. A. Gerbracht, D. Lepage, A. Spencer, S. M. Billerman, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2023. The eBird/Clements checklist of Birds of the World: v2023. Downloaded from https://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Gill, F, D Donsker, and P Rasmussen (Eds). 2023. IOC World Bird List (v 13.2). Doi 10.14344/IOC.ML.13.2. http://www.worldbirdnames.org/
- Krishnan, A. (2023). Blue-eared Barbet (Psilopogon cyanotis), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (N. D. Sly and S. M. Billerman, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.buebar1.01
- Eaton, JA, B van Balen, NW Brickle, FE Rheindt 2021. Birds of the Indonesian Archipelago (Greater Sundas and Wallacea), Second Edition. Lynx Editions. ISBN978-84-16728-44-2
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Blue-eared Barbet. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 28 March 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Blue-eared_Barbet
External Links
GSearch checked for 2020 platform.1
