Red-crowned Barbet

Overview

The red-crowned barbet (Psilopogon rafflesii) is a medium-large tropical bird within the family Megalaimidae. It is distributed across Southeast Asia and is currently classified as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List.

Identification

• A medium-large bird measuring 24.5–27 cm in length and weighing 99–150 g.
• Primarily green plumage with a distinct red crown, red spots below the eyes, and a red mark on the side of the neck.
• Features a blue throat and broad supercilia set against a black and yellow face.
• Both sexes resemble each other, though females and immature birds display a duller colour scheme.

Habitat

It inhabits the Sundaic upland and lowlands of Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and Brunei. Its natural habitat consists of subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, as well as secondary and primary-growth forests. In Singapore, it is restricted to the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve due to deforestation.

Diet

The red-crowned barbet feeds on a variety of fruits, including figs from the Malayan banyan tree and oil fruits, often foraging in the lower canopy. It also preys on invertebrates such as land snails, grubs, termites, and moths, using its thick beak to excavate rotten wood. It may join mixed-species flocks of insectivores to forage in the same areas.

Did you know?

In Singapore, the green coffee tree (Canthium glabrum) is classified as endangered partly due to foraging by the red-crowned barbet.