10 Colorful Species of Barbet Birds of India

Asian barbet birds are native to the forest of Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent. There are 30 species of Asian barbets usually live in inner forest but the most famous coppersmith barbet is known to live on the edge of urban jungle. Here is the list of known species of Barbet Birds found in India.

Great Barbet

The great barbet bird is native to the Indian sub-continent as well as found in Southeast Asia, Great Barbet is the largest barbet species and feeds mainly of fruits and insects.

Coppersmith Barbet

Coppersmith barbet is a small species of barbet bird found in India, A resident bird of the Indian subcontinent and known for its metronomic call. The barbet feeds on flower petals, banyan, peepal and other wild figs, berries and insect.

Lineated Barbet

The lineated barbet is also a green bird like other species of barbet, nests in holes of tree trunks and feeds on wild figs. Lineated Barbet mostly found in the north east parts of the India from Terai to the Brahmaputra basin.

Malabar barbet

Malabar barbet or Crimson-throated Barbet is native to the Western Ghats of South India, usually seen in pairs and found in the range of coppersmith barbet at some places. This species from around the coastal of Goa to evergreen forest of Kerala.

Brown-headed Barbet

Brown-headed Barbet is also a species native to the Indian subcontinent, Part of the Asian barbet family of bird. This species is also a resident tree birds of Terai in north east India and also found living around urban and country gardens.

White-cheeked Barbet

White-cheeked barbet is a small species of green barbet found in southern India, endemic to the green forest areas of the Western Ghats. The white-cheeked barbet are mostly frugivorous and feeds on various Ficus species of trees.

Golden-throated Barbet

Golden-throated Barbet inhabits green forest area of Southeast Asia, Distribution and habitat of this species of barbet includes Nepal, India to Laos and Vietnam. There are only two known golden-throated barbet subspecies recognised.

Blue-throated Barbet

Blue-throated Barbet is the most beautiful and colorful barbet species with green, blue and red plumage. The blue throat short-tail bird call is also sounds like kutorok kutokrok, Native to Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. Pic Credit – Parveen Kaswan, IFS

Blue-eared Barbet

Blue-eared barbet with green plumage is a resident breeder of Indian subcontinent, found from Nepal to northeast India. The small barbet bird calls is a repeated loud sound of ko-tek ko-tek and also whistled pleow like sound.

Crimson-fronted Barbet

Crimson-fronted Barbet is a smaller species, also nest in tree holes like other species and live in pair with strong bonds. The Malabar barbet was formerly known as a race of the crimson-fronted barbet and also feeds mainly on fruits.