| Great Barbet | |
|---|---|
| At Chakrata, Uttarakhand, India | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Piciformes |
| Family: | Megalaimidae |
| Genus: | Megalaima |
| Species: | M. virens |
| Binomial name | |
| Megalaima virens (Boddaert, 1783) |
|
The Great Barbet, Megalaima 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.
The Great Barbet is a resident breeder in the lower-to-middle altitudes of the Himalayas, ranging across northern India, Nepal and Bhutan, and some parts of Southeast Asia as far away as Laos. It is a species of broadleaf evergreen woodlands at 600-2,565 m altitude. It nests in a tree hole.
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).[1] 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.
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.