The blue-throated barbet is a green Asian barbet native to the foothills of the Himalayas and Southeast Asia. It inhabits lowland and montane forests at elevations of 200–2,000 m (660–6,560 ft), frequenting fruiting trees. Due to its green colour, it is difficult to spot but is easily located by its continual loud calls. Sexes are similar in most respects and share domestic duties.
Region
Himalayan foothills and Southeast Asia
Typical Environment
Occurs from the Himalayan foothills through northeastern India, Bangladesh and Myanmar into Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, and southern China. It frequents evergreen and moist deciduous forests, forest edges, secondary growth, orchards, and well-treed gardens. The species is especially common around fruiting figs and other canopy fruiting trees. It requires mature trees or snags for nesting cavities but adapts well to mosaic landscapes with scattered tall trees.
Altitude Range
200–2000 m
Climate Zone
Subtropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 2/5
A vivid green barbet with a bright blue throat and face, it is often heard long before it is seen thanks to its loud, metronomic calls. Pairs excavate nest cavities in soft or decaying wood and share incubation and chick-rearing duties. By swallowing fruits whole and later regurgitating seeds, it plays an important role in forest regeneration.
Painting ca. 1825 to 1834
Juvenile in Nepal
IUCN range
Eating a papaya in Assam
Pair of barbets at a nest in a tree trunk
Temperament
secretive but vocal and largely arboreal
Flight Pattern
short undulating flight
Social Behavior
Usually solitary or in pairs, sometimes joining small loose groups at fruiting trees. Pairs excavate nest holes in deadwood or soft trunks and share incubation and feeding. Territorial boundaries are advertised by persistent calling from exposed perches.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A loud, repetitive series of hollow notes, often rendered as took-took-took, delivered at a steady tempo for long periods. Calls carry far through the forest and are commonly used to locate the bird.
