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Red-throated Barbet Psilopogon mystacophanos Scientific name definitions

Lester L. Short and Jennifer F. M. Horne
Version: 1.0 — Published March 4, 2020
Text last updated February 24, 2017

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Field Identification

c. 23 cm; 60–95 g. Mode­rately large, green barbet with strongest sexual dimorphism of any Old World capitonid. Male of nominate race has yellow forehead and small yellow malar mark; red crown, loral spot, chin and throat , and mark on side of breast; blue cheek and lower throat; and black eyestripe; bill large, black. Female slightly larger than male, paler, has narrow, pale yellow forehead, pale yellow chin and throat, red loral spot, small red crown patch surrounded by blue, blue over eye and on cheek and malar, often a muted red mark at throat-breast junction, paler lower mandible. Immature pale-billed, mainly dull green and grey, bright colours muted, reds appear last; sexable c. 2 days after fledging. Race ampalus differs from nominate in bigger bill, more square and, in female, larger red crown patch, female throat bluer.

Systematics History

Editor's Note: This article requires further editing work to merge existing content into the appropriate Subspecies sections. Please bear with us while this update takes place.

Traditionally thought to belong to a group that includes also P. javensis, P. rafflesii, P. corvinus and P. chrysopogon; last two of these, however, appear not closely related to the others. Forms described as aurantiifrons (from peninsular Thailand) and humii (Borneo) now included within nominate. Two subspecies recognized.

Subspecies


SUBSPECIES

Psilopogon mystacophanos mystacophanos Scientific name definitions

Distribution

S Myanmar (SC Tenasserim), SW and peninsular Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia (except SW), Sumatra and Borneo.

SUBSPECIES

Psilopogon mystacophanos ampalus Scientific name definitions

Distribution

Batu Is, off W Sumatra.

Distribution

Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

Habitat

Foothill and also lowland dipterocarp forest, logged forest, second-growth forest, plantations of rubber, durian (Durio zibethinus) and cacao, and also visits fruiting trees in gardens and villages; mainly in canopy, descends to understorey in dense cover. Sea-level to 1060 m; mainly at low elevations, but in C Borneo commonly 750–980 m.

Movement

Resident, and probably sedentary.

Diet and Foraging

Mainly fruits, especially figs, also others such as durian; also insect larvae; and snails at times, e.g. in courtship feeding. Captives, when nesting, ate crickets, mealworms, maggots, waxworms and other insects. Insect larvae taken by pecking, making pits in bark; 1 individual worked 20 minutes, pecking over 4 m² of surface of dead stub.

Sounds and Vocal Behavior

2 songs, both vary; one a series of single to 4 “tyuk”, “tuk” or “tyowp” notes with variable pauses, some long, between sets of notes, in one case song of 4-note sets had 23 sets, 92 notes, in 36 seconds; second song fast trills in series that slow down and become shorter in each trill, may break up into notes leading to first song; males countersing using both songs; male gives low “hoot” to female in display. Sometimes uses bill-tapping signals.

Breeding

May–Jun on mainland; Nov–May and Sept in Sumatra; in Borneo reported Jun–Jul, but immatures Nov–Jun with most in Apr, so likely breeds all year. Singer flicks tail down, extends throat, keeps bill closed; in courtship feeding, male bows low to female, bill forward, calls. Nest excavated 3–6 m up in tree, or arboreal ant nest or termitarium. Eggs 2–4; in captivity, incubation period 17–18 days, nestling period 24–29 days, incubation and brood-feeding by both sexes, young independent within 1 week, then second brood started; no comparable data for wild birds. Captive female aggressive to male during nesting; in one year female killed male after eggs hatched, later killed two of four young.
Not globally threatened. Currently considered Near Threatened. Seems to be common throughout range; no data on Batu Is race ampalus. Appears quite adaptable. Information needed on breeding biology of wild populations. Almost all primary lowland forests within its range are under imminent threat of destruction, so its use of some forests at higher altitudes may prove decisive for its survival. Present in several protected areas, including Khao Nor Chuchi (Thailand), Batu Punggul Forest Reserve (Peninsular Malaysia) and Kerinci-Seblat National Park and Sungai Penuh Reserve (Sumatra).
Distribution of the Red-throated Barbet - Range Map
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  • Year-round
  • Migration
  • Breeding
  • Non-Breeding
Distribution of the Red-throated Barbet

Recommended Citation

Short, L. L. and J. F. M. Horne (2020). Red-throated Barbet (Psilopogon mystacophanos), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.retbar1.01
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