Great Barbet

Psilopogon virens

Order:

Piciformes

Family:

Megalaimidae

Size:

27 to 33 centimeters (10.6 to 13 inches)

Weight:

140 to 190 grams (4.9 to 6.7 ounces)

Taxonomy:

Louis Jean Pierre Vieillot, 1818

Short Description:

Great Barbet (Psilopogon virens), locally known as "Chukar," is a striking bird species found in Pakistan. With its vibrant plumage of green, yellow, and red, it is easily recognizable. This medium-sized barbet possesses a stout bill and a distinctive tuft of feathers at the base of its bill. Great Barbets are primarily fruit-eaters but also feed on insects, seeds, and small vertebrates. They have a distinct call that resonates through the forest canopy, resembling a repetitive "kutroo-kutroo."

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Great Barbets are distributed throughout the northern and northwestern regions of Pakistan, including the foothills of the Himalayas, the Hindu Kush, and parts of Balochistan. They inhabit subtropical and temperate forests, often found in dense foliage, orchards, and wooded gardens at elevations ranging from 600 to 2,400 meters above sea level.

These barbets are mostly solitary or found in pairs during the breeding season. They are territorial birds, defending their feeding and nesting areas vigorously. Great Barbets are known for their habit of excavating nest holes in tree trunks for breeding, where they lay a clutch of eggs. Their diet primarily consists of fruits, especially berries, figs, and wild cherries, but they also consume insects, larvae, and small reptiles.