- Psilopogon duvaucelii
Identification
This species has been split into 2 groups for ease of description
Blue-eared Group
16-17 cm, 6.3-6.7 inches. 31.6-39.5 g, 1.1-1.4 oz
- P. d. cyanotis:
- Black forehead
- Blue mid-crown and throat
- Green hind-crown
- Orangey red cheek patch
- Blue ear-coverts framed with red patches
- Narrow black band between throat and breast
- Green body
- Dark stout beak
- P. d. orientalis:
- Generally slightly larger and paler than P. d. cyanotis
- Thin red patch below the black line separating the throat and breast
Black-eared Group
16-17 cm, 6.3-6.7 inches. 26.3-37 g, 0.93-1.3 oz
- P. d. duvaucelii:
- Black forehead
- Blue crown and throat
- Thick black band between throat and breast some have red below
- Black ear-coverts framed with large red patches
- Red cheek patch
- Pale loral spot
- Green body
- Strong dark beak
- P. d. gigantorhinus:
- Slightly longer bill than P. d. duvaucelii
- Often has blue spotted crown
- P. d. tanamassae:
- Brighter blue hindcrown and throat
- Red wash behind black breast line
- More blue in tail
Distribution
Asia: found in China, Tibet, Nepal, India, Eastern Himalayas, Bangladesh, Bhutan
Southeast Asia: Indochina, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, Malay Peninsula, Brunei, Borneo, Indonesia, Greater Sundas, Sumatra
Taxonomy
Sometimes placed in the genus Megalaima.
Formerly considered conspecific with Little Barbet.
Subspecies
There are 5 subspecies[1]:
- P. d. cyanotis:
- South-eastern Nepal to Bangladesh, north-eastern India, southern China, Burma, Malay Peninsula
- P. d. orientalis:
- P. d. duvaucelii:
- Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Bangka Island and Borneo
- P. d. gigantorhinus:
- Nias Island (off north-western Sumatra)
- P. d. tanamassae:
- Batu Islands (off western Sumatra)
Several additional subspecies are not recognised by all authorities[2]
Habitat
Mainly primary coniferous forest, forest edge in lowlands and foothills. May frequent new growth and patchy forest.
Blue-eared Group
Also visits plantations, gardens, deciduous and bamboo forest. Mainly below 1200 m, but below 700 m in Bhutan. Has been recorded to 1525 m in southeast Asia and to 1600 m in southwest China
Black-eared Group
Also visits rubber and silk tree plantations, gardens, mangroves, bamboo, peatswamp and deciduous forest. Mainly below 1000 m, but only to 975 m in peninsular Malaysia, 1065 m on Borneo and up to about 1500 m on Sumatra
Behaviour
Diet
Fruit of figs and other. Also insects. Takes fruit averaging 11.6 mm. 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.
Black-eared Group
Male inflates black skinned gular sacs when singing
Breeding season:
- January to July in Peninsular Malaysia
- February to October on Sumatra and it's islands
- December to January and May to June on Borneo
Vocalisation
The double note song of Little Barbet 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., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2017. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2017, with updates to August 2017. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Avibase
- Gill, F and D Donsker (Eds). 2014. IOC World Bird Names (version 4.4). Available at http://www.worldbirdnames.org/.
- Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved October 2016)
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Blue-eared Barbet. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 28 September 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Blue-eared_Barbet