Moustached Barbet

Moustached Barbet
Head of Moustached Barbet (bottom), illustration by Joseph Smit, 1891
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Piciformes
Family:	Megalaimidae
Genus:	Megalaima
Species:	M. incognita
Binomial name
Megalaima incognita Hume, 1874
Synonyms
Cyanops incognita

The Moustached Barbet, Megalaima incognita, is an Asian barbet. Barbets are a group of near passerine birds with a world-wide tropical distribution. They get their name from the bristles which fringe their heavy bills.

The Moustached Barbet is a resident breeder in the hills of Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. It is a species of broadleaf evergreen forest from 600-700 m. It nests in a tree hole.

This barbet is 23 cm in length. It is a plump bird, with a short neck, large head and short tail. The bill is dark horn, and the body plumage is green. The adult of the form, M. i. elbeli, which occurs in northern Thailand has a red forehead, green crown with a red spot at the rear, a blue face and throat, and black eyestripe and moustache. The sexes are similar, but the juvenile has a duller, greener head and throat with a narrower moustache..

The other subspecies are nominate M. i. incognita in Myanmar and western Thailand, and M. i. eitroa in southeast Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.

The male’s territorial call is a repeated loud u’ik-a-ruk u’ik-a-ruk u’ik-a-ruk.

References

• Birdlife International
• Robson, Craig A Field Guide to the Birds of Thailand ISBN 1-84330-921-1
• Ripley, The Barbets, The Auk Vol 62 1945

External links

• Image at ADW