| Green-eared Barbet | |
|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Piciformes |
| Family: | Megalaimidae |
| Genus: | Megalaima |
| Species: | M. faiostricta |
| Binomial name | |
| Megalaima faiostricta (Temminck, 1831) |
|
The Green-eared Barbet, Megalaima faiostricta, 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 Green-eared Barbet is 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, 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.