Coppersmith Barbet Psilopogon haemacephalus is the smallest barbet. Range of indicus in southern (Xishuangbanna) and southwestern (Ruili) Yunnan. Unlike most other Asian barbets is well-adapted to life outside forest, being very much at home in open wooded country, scrub, and parks and gardens. To 1000 m. Congregates in small flocks in the early morning, sunbathing on bare branches. Eats fruit and insects, sometimes catching them in flight. Like all members of order Piciformes, nests in cavity in tree. Has crimson breast patch and forecrown, mustard-yellow throat, and patches above and below eye. Strong black moustachial stripe and eyeline join black hindcrown. Greyish sides of neck reach hindcrown. Upperparts dark green; underparts yellowish with dark, blotchy streaks; tail bluish-green. Dark eye and red eye-ring. Juvenile mostly greenish but has yellow and black facial markings of adults. Bill black, with rictal bristles; zygodactyl feet red. Song a pulsing, clear, hollow whistle or hoot, repeated continuously. — 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.
