BARBET - THE KUTROO.... kUTROO.... BIRD.

One can find these many varieties of Barbets in India, namely

COPPER SMITH BARBET(Megalaima haemacephala).

WHITE CHEEKED BARBET(Megalaima viridia).

BROWN HEADED BARBET (Megalaima Zeylanica). 

CRIMSON THROATED BARBET(Megalaima bricapillus).

BLUE THROATED BARBET (Megalaima asiatica).

LINEATED BARBET (Megalaima lineata).

GREAT BARBET (Megalaima virens).

Crimson Throated Barbet
Anashi

Barbets are arboreal birds .Barbets have a leafy green coloured body with a rough plumage, having moustaches at the base of the beak, large head when compared to the rest of the body. They have a short curved beak, short and strong legs,wings are curved in shape. Sexes are alike among Barbets. Barbets are generally found in lush green areas or the area covered with more trees. I saw Copper Smith Barbet near my home and saw this in different places of Bangalore and more in Nandi hills. One can recognise a barbet's call very easily because of  its unique and loud call,  which is heard as two different calls like Kutrr. Kutroo...Kutrooo and Kut..knt...knt......

Copper Smith Barbet in Love
Mudumalai

According to Salim Ali the types of Barbets are

COPPER SMITH BARBETS found in - Dry and moist deciduous biotope. Subcontinent & Sri lanka. 

CRIMSON THROATED BARBET found in  Evergreen frest up to c.1200m Western Ghats complex from Goa south to Kerala and W.Tamil Nadu.

WHITE CHEEKED BARBET found in Evergreen and moist -deciduous forest,gardens and groves. Western Ghats complexes from River Narmada south through Kerala; Shevaroy and Chitteri hills.

BLUE THROATED BARBET found in Light deciduous and evergreen forest and groves. Lower Himalayas up to c.2000.m, from Rawalpindi and Kashmir east to Arunachal Pradesh;  South of  Maniour, Chittagong and Calcutta.

BROWN HEADED BARBET  found in well wooded moist and dry deciduous country, often entering gardens within city limits, Subcontinent; Sri Lanka.

LINEATED BARBET found in moist deciduous and light secondary forest, and gardens. Lower Himalayas up to c.1000 m, from Dehra Dun east through Arunachal Pradesh; NE. Hill states; Bangaladesh; N.Orissa.

GREATER BARBET found in Subtropical evergreen and moist temperature forest, c. 1000-3000m. Himalayas; NE. hill states; Bangladesh (Chittagong region).

White Cheeked Barbet
Theppakadu

For futher details please go through 

THE BOOK OF INDIAN BIRDS by Salim Ali.

Both male and female Barbets take care of their incubation, nesting and feeding of the young ones.They mostly roost in the holes of the trees.At a time they can lay three to four eggs.

In ANASHI I found Crimson Throated Barbets feeding on Fig & Peepal tree near the forest guest house. Most of the barbets I saw were feeding on fruiting trees. One is blessed to hear the cacophony of a group of barbets. 

Copper Smith Barbet is a bit larger than a Sparrow and smaller than Myna, it is grass green in color with crimson breast and forehead.with yellow throat and and green streaked yellowish underparts.

Crimson Throated Barbet is a bit larger than a Sparrow and smaller than Myna, it is  grass green in color with crimson fore crown, forehead, chin, throat and upper breast, crimson patch below eye and on cheek, the latter streaked blackish.

White Cheeked Barbet  is grass green in color with white cheek stripe and with white naked eye patch black,breast  streaked with brown and with white chin and throat and is about the size of a Myna. 

Blue Throated Barbet is about the size of a  Myna and it is  grass green in color with crimson crown and fore head,sides of head, chin, throat and fore neck are pale blue in color and it has a transverse black band above the eye, crimson spot on the each side of the neck and at the base of the bill.

Brown Headed Barbet is about the size of a Myna and  it is grass green in color with head, neck,and breast brown streaked with white. Very clear orange bare patch around eye extended to the bill.

Linesated Barbet is about the size of a Myna and it is similar to Large Green Barbet and it has a small yellow eye patch and doesn't extend to nape and it is broadly streaked.

Great Barbet is about the size of a Myna and it is brightly coloured yellow bill with bristles at base  and it has maroon crown with violet blue , black head and bright scarlet patch under tail.

Your comments and suggestions on this post are welcome.