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Project Noah Nature School
Megalaima haemacephala
The call is a loud rather metallic tuk…tuk…tuk (or tunk), reminiscent of a copper sheet being beaten, giving the bird its name. Repeated monotonously for long periods, starting with a subdued tuk and building up to an even volume and tempo, the latter varying from 108 to 121 per minute and can continue with as many as 204 notes. They are silent and do not call in winter. The beak remains shut during each call - a patch of bare skin on both sides of the throat inflates and collapses with each tuk like a rubber bulb and the head is bobbed.
Ficus tree. Hillside.
The red forehead and throat, yellow eye-ring and throat patch with streaked underside and green upperparts, it is fairly distinctive. Juveniles are duller and lack the red patches. The sexes are alike. During the nesting season, the wear and tear on the feathers can cause the plumage of the upper back to appear bluish. Like other barbets, they chisel out a hole inside a tree to build their nest. They are mainly fruit eating but will take sometimes insects, especially winged termites.
Spotted on Mar 15, 2015
Submitted on Apr 8, 2015
2 Comments
Thank you, Daniele!
Lovely series Deepti!