Asian Barbets
Barbets
A family of birds comprising the Asian barbets, the Megalaimidae were once united with all other barbets in the Capitonidae (Short & Horne 2002) but they have turned out to be distinct. There are 26 species living in wooded areas from Tibet to Indonesia.
All members of the family are placed in the genus Megalaima, except the Fire-tufted Barbet (Psilopogon pyrolophus) and the Brown Barbet (Calorhamphus fuliginosus). The latter species is distinct enough to warrant placement in a distinct subfamily Calorhamphinae, whereas the typical Asian barbets make up the Megalaimatinae.
The diversity is concentrated around the Malay Peninsula and Sumatra; it is therefore probable that the family originated there or thereabouts.
Asian barbets are usually birds of the inner forest. One species, the Coppersmith Barbet, is adapted to life on the forest edge and in scrub.
There is generally not much interaction between Asian barbets and humans. Some species, like the Great Barbet and the Lineated Barbet will raid plantations and orchards, particularly in India, and there is some capture for the cage-bird trade due to their pleasant coloration.
Although none of the Asian barbets are considered threatened, several species are known to be intolerant of deforestation and require old-growth forest to thrive. For example, in Singapore only the second-growth tolerant Red-crowned Barbet remains of the species originally found there, as well as the Coppersmith Barbet which has expanded its range and colonised Singapore in the 1960s.
Description
They are usually plump-looking, with large heads, and their heavy bill is fringed with bristles. The Great Barbet (Megalaima virens), at 210 g (7.4 oz) and 33 cm (13 inches), is the largest of the species, and indeed among its relatives only surpassed in size by some of the toucans.
Diet / Feeding
They are mainly solitary birds, eating insects and fruit. Figs of the genus Ficus are the most important fruit taken by Asian barbets. Large fig trees will attract several species of barbet along with other frugivores. In addition to figs numerous other species of fruiting tree and bush are visited, an individual barbet may feed on as many as 60 different species in its range. They will also visit plantations and take cultivated fruit and vegetables. Fruit is eaten whole and indigestible material such as seed pits regurgitated later (often before singing). Regurgitation does not usually happen in the nest (as happens with toucans). Barbets are thought to be important agents in seed dispersal in tropical forests.
As well as taking fruit, barbets also take arthropod prey, gleaned from the branches and trunks of trees. A wide range on insects are taken, including ants, cicadas, dragonflies, crickets, locusts, beetles, moths and mantids. Scorpions and centipedes are also taken, and a few species will take small vertebrates such as lizards, frogs and geckos.
Nesting / Breeding
The precise nesting details of many species are not yet known. Like many members of their order, Piciformes, their nests are in holes bored into a tree, and they usually between 2 to 4 eggs, incubated for 13-15 days.
Systematics
Subfamily Megalaimatinae
- Genus Psilopogon
- Fire-tufted Barbets (Psilopogon pyrolophus): Found in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montanes.
- Genus Megalaima
- Great Barbet Megalaima virens
- Red-vented Barbet (Megalaima lagrandieri): Found in Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montanes.
- Brown-headed Barbets (Megalaima zeylanica)
- Lineated Barbets (Megalaima lineata)
- White-cheeked Barbets (Megalaima viridis)
- Green-eared Barbets ( Megalaima faiostricta): A resident breeder in southern China, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. It is a species of broadleaf evergreen and mixed or open woodlands at up to 900 m altitude. It nests in a tree hole. This barbet is 24.5-27 cm in length. It is a plump bird, with a short neck, large head and short tail. The adult has a white-streaked brown head and breast, green ear coverts (feathers covering the ears), mainly dark bill, and green-streaked yellow belly. The rest of the plumage is green. Both sexes and immature birds are similar. This species resembles Lineated Barbet, but is smaller, has the distinctive green ear patch, a darker bill and a dark, rather than yellow, eye-ring. The male’s territorial call is a loud took-a-prruk. Another call is a mellow pooouk.
- Brown-throated Barbets (Megalaima corvina): Endemic to Indonesia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montanes.
- Gold-whiskered Barbets (Megalaima chrysopogon): Found in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montanes.
- Red-crowned Barbets (Megalaima rafflesii)
- Red-throated Barbets (Megalaima mystacophanos): Found in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, and Thailand. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical swamps. It is threatened by habitat loss.
- Black-banded Barbets (Megalaima javensis): Endemic to Indonesia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montanes. It is threatened by habitat loss.
- Yellow-fronted Barbets (Megalaima flavifrons) is an Asian barbet which is an endemic resident breeder in Sri Lanka. Barbets and toucans are a group of near passerine birds with a world-wide tropical distribution. The barbets get their name from the bristles which fringe their heavy bills. Yellow-fronted Barbet is an arboreal species of forests and other woodland, including large gardens, which eats mainly fruit and only rarely insects. It nests in a tree hole, laying 2-3 eggs. This is a medium-sized barbet at 21 cm. It is a plump bird, with a short neck, large head and short tail. The adult Yellow-fronted Barbet has a mainly green body and wing plumage, with a scaly appearance to the breast. It has a blue face and throat, and a yellow crown and moustachial stripes. The call is a rolling kow-kow-kow-kow.
- Golden-throated Barbets (Megalaima franklinii)
- Black-browed Barbets (Megalaima oorti)
- Blue-throated Barbets (Megalaima asiatica)
- Mountain Barbets (Megalaima monticola): Found in Indonesia and Malaysia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montanes.
- Moustached Barbets (Megalaima incognita): A resident breeder in the hills of Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. It is a species of broadleaf evergreen forest from 600-700 m. It nests in a tree hole. This barbet is 23 cm in length. It is a plump bird, with a short neck, large head and short tail. The bill is dark horn, and the body plumage is green. The adult of the form, M. i. elbeli, which occurs in northern Thailand has a red forehead, green crown with a red spot at the rear, a blue face and throat, and black eyestripe and moustache. The sexes are similar, but the juvenile has a duller, greener head and throat with a narrower moustache. The other subspecies are nominate M. i. incognita in Myanmar and western Thailand, and M. i. eitroa in southeast Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. The male’s territorial call is a repeated loud u’ik-a-ruk u’ik-a-ruk u’ik-a-ruk.
- Yellow-crowned Barbets (Megalaima henricii): Found in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical swamps. It is threatened by habitat loss.
- Flame-fronted Barbets (Megalaima armillaris): Endemic to Indonesia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montanes.
- Golden-naped Barbets (Megalaima pulcherrima): Found in Indonesia and Malaysia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montanes.
- Blue-eared Barbets (Megalaima australis)
- Bornean Barbets (Megalaima eximia): Found in Indonesia and Malaysia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montanes.
- Crimson-fronted Barbets (Megalaima rubricapilla), or Small Barbets: A resident breeder in south west India and Sri Lanka. Barbets and toucans are a group of near passerine birds with a world-wide tropical distribution. The barbets get their name from the bristles which fringe their heavy bills. The Crimson-fronted Barbet is an arboreal species of open woodland which eats fruit and insects. It nests in a tree hole, laying 2-4 eggs. This is a small barbet at 15 cm. It is a plump bird with a short neck, large head and short tail. The adult Crimson-fronted Barbet has a mainly green body and wing plumage, a blue band down the side of the head and neck, and a black crescent behind the eye. The adult Indian M. r. malabarica has a crimson face, throat and breast. M. r. rubricapilla of Sri Lanka has an orange face, throat and breast, with crimson only on the forehead. Sexes are similar, but immature birds are duller with only traces of the striking head pattern. The Indian form is split by some as a separate species, the Malabar Barbet or Crimson-throated Barbet M. malabarica.
- Coppersmith Barbet (Megalaima haemacephala)
Subfamily Calorhamphinae
- Genus Calorhamphus
- Brown Barbets (Calorhamphus fuliginosus): Found in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, and Thailand. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.
It is not entirely resolved whether the Early to Middle Miocene (23-12 mya) genus Capitonides from Europe belongs to this family or the African barbets (now Lybiidae). Indeed, given that the prehistoric birds somewhat resembled a primitive toucan, without these birds' present autapomorphies, they might occupy a more basal position among the barbet-toucan clade altogether.
References
- LL Short, JFM Horne (2002) Family Capitonidae (barbets). in del Hoyo J., Elliott A. & Christie D.A. (2004) Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 7. Jamacars to Woodpeckers Lynx Edicions, Barcelona ISBN 84-87334-37-7
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