Blue-eared Barbet Psilopogon duvaucelii is a mainly Southeast Asian species, with cyanotis also present in southern Yunnan (Xishuangbanna). Lives to 1500 m in forests of many types. Hole-nester, like all Piciformes; takes fruit (figs) and insects. Small and plump. Black forehead, sky-blue crown, throat, and ear coverts, with small red patches above and below ear coverts and just below eye. Green on neck and mantle, darker on wings, lighter green on underparts; bluish-green tail. Female duller. Juvenile very uniformly green, but with blue shadow on cheeks. Stout, black bill bristly at base, like bills of all barbets. Feet yellowish-grey. Loud, continuously repeated call of two syllables, each of same length, with second note slightly higher-pitched. Other call a single fluty note. — Craig Brelsford
THE ASIAN BARBETS OF CHINA
shanghaibirding.com has research on all eight species of Asian barbet in China. Click any link below:
Great Barbet Psilopogon virens
Lineated Barbet P. lineatus
Green-eared Barbet P. faiostrictus
Golden-throated Barbet P. franklinii
Chinese Barbet P. faber
Blue-throated Barbet P. asiaticus
Blue-eared Barbet P. duvaucelii
Coppersmith Barbet P. haemacephalus
See also:
Taiwan Barbet Psilopogon nuchalis
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Daniel Bengtsson served as chief ornithological consultant for Craig Brelsford’s Photographic Field Guide to the Birds of China, from which this species description is drawn.
