Mountain barbet

The mountain barbet is a species of bird in the family Megalaimidae. It is endemic to the Southeast Asian island of Borneo. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.

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Distribution

Region

Borneo

Typical Environment

Occurs across the island of Borneo, with records from Malaysian Sabah and Sarawak, Brunei, and parts of Indonesian Kalimantan. It inhabits primary and secondary evergreen forests, hill and lower montane forests, and mature forest edges. The species forages high in the mid-story to canopy, often at fruiting trees. It tolerates selectively logged forest better than many specialists, provided large fruiting trees remain. In suitable habitat it can be fairly common but is patchy where forest is fragmented.

Altitude Range

Sea level to 2200 m

Climate Zone

Tropical

Characteristics

Size20–22 cm

Wing Span30–35 cm

Male Weight0.06 kg

Female Weight0.055 kg

Life Expectancy8 years

Ease of Keeping

Beginner friendly: 1/5

Useful to know

This barbet is endemic to Borneo and is most often detected by its repetitive, piping calls drifting across forested hillsides. Like other barbets, it excavates nest cavities in soft or dead wood, which are reused or enlarged over time. It is an important seed disperser, especially for figs and other forest fruits, aiding forest regeneration.

Behaviour

Temperament

quiet and unobtrusive in canopy; can be vocal and conspicuous when calling

Flight Pattern

short rapid wingbeats with undulating flights between trees

Social Behavior

Usually seen singly, in pairs, or small family groups, sometimes joining mixed-species flocks at fruiting trees. Pairs excavate nest cavities in dead or soft wood and share incubation and chick-rearing duties. Territorial calling is common, with neighbors countersinging from ridge tops or tall trees.

Migratory Pattern

Resident

Song Description

A series of steady, repetitive piping notes delivered at a measured pace, often carrying far over valleys. Calls can continue for long periods and are a key way to locate the species in dense foliage.

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Identification

Comb Type

Plumage Description

Feather Color

Leg Color

Earlobe Color

Eye Color

Feeding Habits

Diet

Preferred Environment

Requires Supplement

Population

Conservation Status

Species Status

Wild Population

Total Known Population

Mountain blackeye

The mountain blackeye, sometimes referred to as the olive blackeye or simply black-eye, is a species of passerine bird in the family Zosteropidae. It is endemic to the highest mountains on the island of Borneo. It is known from both Malaysian states on the island, and four of the five Indonesian provinces, but has never been recorded in Brunei. Typically found at elevations above 1,800 m (5,900 ft), the mountain blackeye sometimes moves to lower altitudes during periods of drought. There are four subspecies, which show clinal variations in size and coloring. Birds in the north are largest, darkest, and proportionately longer-tailed, while those further south are smaller, paler, and proportionately shorter-tailed. Adults are dark olive-green with a sharply-pointed, bright yellow-orange bill and a small dark mask connecting black lores with a black eye-ring. The subspecies show varying amounts of yellow in their plumage, particularly on the face and underparts. Young birds resemble their parents, but have less brightly colored bills.

Mountain bluebird

The mountain bluebird is a migratory small thrush that is found in mountainous districts of western North America. It has a light underbelly and black eyes. Adult males have thin bills and are bright turquoise-blue and somewhat lighter underneath. Adult females have duller blue wings and tail, grey breast, grey crown, throat and back. In fresh fall plumage, the female's throat and breast are tinged with red-orange which is brownish near the flank, contrasting with white tail underparts. Their call is a thin 'few' while their song is a warbled high 'chur chur'. The mountain bluebird is the state bird of Idaho and Nevada. This bird is an omnivore and it can live 6 to 10 years in the wild. It eats spiders, grasshoppers, flies and other insects, and small fruits. The mountain bluebird is a relative of the eastern and western bluebirds.

Mountain bulbul

The mountain bulbul is a songbird species in the bulbul family, Pycnonotidae. It is often placed in Hypsipetes, but seems to be closer to the type species of the genus Ixos, the Sunda bulbul. It is found in Southeast Asia and is not considered a threatened species by the IUCN. It is named after British East India Company Surgeon John McClelland.

Mountain caracara

The mountain caracara, is a species of bird of prey in the family Falconidae. It is found in puna and páramo in the Andes, ranging from northern Ecuador, through Peru and Bolivia, to northern Argentina and Chile. It is generally uncommon to fairly common. It resembles the closely related carunculated caracara and white-throated caracara, but unlike those species, its chest is uniform black. Juveniles are far less distinctive than the red-faced pied adults, being overall brown with dull pinkish-grey facial skin.