Blue-eared Barbet Bird Facts (Psilopogon cyanotis)

The Blue-eared Barbet is a vibrant, medium-sized bird with predominantly green plumage. Its most distinctive features are the turquoise-blue ear coverts and throat, black and violet forehead, and pinkish-red patches on the face.

Both males and females share similar colouration, though females may be slightly duller. Juveniles have primarily green plumage with less pronounced facial markings compared to adults.

The Blue-eared Barbet can be found in Woodland habitats.

The Blue-eared Barbet is not typically found in Garden habitats.

The Blue-eared Barbet is not typically found in Wetland habitats.

The Blue-eared Barbet is not typically found in Coastal habitats.

The Blue-eared Barbet is not typically found in Urban habitats.

The Blue-eared Barbet is not typically found in Farmland habitats.

The Blue-eared Barbet is not typically found in Grassland habitats.

The Blue-eared Barbet is not typically found in Desert habitats.

The Blue-eared Barbet is not typically found in Tundra habitats.

The Blue-eared Barbet can be found in Rainforest habitats.

The Blue-eared Barbet is not typically found in Mountain habitats.

The Blue-eared Barbet is not typically found in Savanna habitats.

Blue-eared Barbets inhabit tropical and subtropical moist lowland forests, as well as montane forests. They are found across Southeast Asia, including parts of India, Bangladesh, and southern China.

These birds prefer areas with mature trees that provide both food sources and nesting sites. They are non-migratory, maintaining year-round territories within their forest habitats.

This map gives you a rough idea of where you might spot a Blue-eared Barbet. The coloured areas show countries where these birds have been seen.

A few things to keep in mind:

Birds might not be everywhere in the coloured areas, for example, they may be present around the coast of that country
Where birds live can change with seasons and available food
This map is quite simple - it doesn't show exact locations

We're working on making our maps even better! Soon, we hope to show you:

More detailed maps for bigger countries, including state and region
How birds move around during different seasons

Species that can be found in the area throughout the year

Bangladesh Bhutan Cambodia China India Laos Myanmar Nepal Thailand Vietnam

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Bird Attributes Explained

Our bird attributes system rates various aspects of a bird's capabilities on a scale of 0-100, based on data from field observations, scientific studies, and expert knowledge.

Attribute Categories:

Agility: Manoeuvrability, speed, and grace in flight or movement.
Strength: Physical power, often correlating with size and hunting abilities.
Adaptability: Ability to thrive in various environments or changing conditions.
Aggressiveness: Territorial behaviour and assertiveness, particularly during breeding seasons.
Endurance: Stamina, often seen in migration patterns or foraging behaviours.

Understanding the Ratings:

0-20: Very Low
21-40: Low
41-60: Average
61-80: High
81-100: Very High

Remember, these attributes are relative to other bird species and don't necessarily indicate superiority.

Agility

Reflects the bird's manoeuvrability, speed, and grace in flight or movement.

Whilst not exceptionally agile, the Blue-eared Barbet demonstrates good manoeuvrability in forest canopies. Their zygodactyl feet (two toes forward, two backward) enable efficient climbing and perching, and they navigate well through dense foliage.

Strength

Indicates the bird's physical power, often correlating with size and hunting abilities.

Moderate strength is evidenced by their ability to excavate nest cavities in dead wood and their capacity to handle various fruits with their robust bill. Their size (60-85g) suggests reasonable strength for their category.

Adaptability

Represents the bird's ability to thrive in various environments or changing conditions.

Shows strong adaptability through their successful occupation of various forest types from lowlands to montane regions up to 1,600m. Their varied diet of fruits and insects, plus their ability to maintain territories year-round in different conditions, demonstrates good environmental flexibility.

Aggressiveness

Measures the bird's territorial behaviour and assertiveness, particularly during breeding seasons.

Whilst they defend their territories year-round, Blue-eared Barbets are not notably aggressive birds. They often occur in pairs or small groups, suggesting relatively peaceful social behaviour, though they will protect their nesting sites when necessary.

Endurance

Reflects the bird's stamina, often seen in migration patterns or foraging behaviours.

Their sedentary lifestyle and ability to maintain year-round territories suggests decent endurance. The shared parental duties of nest excavation, incubation, and chick-rearing (31-33 days) indicates good stamina for sustained activities.

The Blue-eared Barbet primarily feeds on fruits, with figs being a particular favourite. They supplement their diet with insects, especially during breeding season.

Their strong, chisel-like bill is well-adapted for excavating tree bark to find insect larvae and for handling various fruits.

Blue-eared Barbets are typically seen perched upright on branches, often in pairs or small groups. They are known for their habit of bobbing their heads while calling, a behaviour that helps locate them in dense foliage.

These birds are generally sedentary and defend their territories year-round.

The Blue-eared Barbet's call is a distinctive, repetitive 'poo-pook' or 'poo-poo-pook'. This vocalisation is often delivered in a series, with the bird bobbing its head with each note.

During the breeding season, pairs may engage in duets, with mates alternating their calls in a rhythmic pattern.

Breeding season for Blue-eared Barbets typically occurs between February and July. Pairs form monogamous bonds and work together to excavate nesting cavities in dead trees or branches.

The female usually lays 2-4 white eggs in the nest cavity. Both parents share incubation duties, which last for about 13-15 days.

After hatching, the nestlings are cared for by both parents for approximately 31-33 days before fledging. The young birds may stay with their parents for some time after leaving the nest.

While the Blue-eared Barbet is currently listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, it faces localised threats from habitat loss due to deforestation.

Conservation efforts focus on protecting tropical and subtropical forests within its range to maintain stable populations.

Listen for their distinctive 'poo-pook' call to locate them in the canopy
Look for them near fruiting trees, especially figs
Observe early morning or late afternoon when they are most active
Use binoculars to spot their colourful facial markings

Main predators of Blue-eared Barbets include birds of prey, such as hawks and eagles, as well as arboreal snakes and small mammals that can access their nests.

Blue-eared Barbets use their strong bills to excavate nest cavities, which are later used by other bird species.
They play a crucial role in forest ecosystems by dispersing seeds of various fruit trees.
These barbets have a unique zygodactyl foot arrangement, with two toes facing forward and two backwards, aiding in their climbing ability.

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