Malaysian Birds - Gold-whiskered Barbet

Size & diagnostic markings:- 30 Cm. This is a large Barbet, in fact the largest for us in Malaysia. It has a brown face with large yellow patch below the eye patch extending all the way to the throat. The throat itself is grayish. Prominent black bill. A tinge of red in front part of crown followed by a gray patch ending in red at the rear of crown.

Distribution :-  This is a bird of the Borneo island and Sumatra

Habitats & preferences:- For us in Malaysia, this is the most common Barbet in the lowland forest after the Coppersmith Barbet. Also seen in hills.

This is the nosiest Barbet and also the largest of all local Barbets at 30 cm. big. This is a lowland Barbet that stays in elevation below 200 m. The bird prefer tall trees and stay at the canopy level. One reason as why the bird is heard so often as it prefers forested edges next to populated areas. More so, if there are low hills around. It's loud calls made it's presence so significant.

But the bird do come down very low - to middle storey of tall trees or low scrubs in the kampong as well. All times in my encounter, the bird is solitary. Noticed that when it did its calling, it was always from tall trees. Next point, peculiar to this Barbet is that it uses its heavy bills to hammer into soft woods. Especially old rotten trunks  Such action can be interpreted as seeking food, maggots, or even barrowing for nesting and shelter. Most of my pictures of this Barbet were taken when they were in the Kampong. Among the pictures, they show 2 types of trunk, normal tree and that of a palm.

Gold-whiskered Barbet's picture No. 1

Gold-whiskered Barbet's picture No. 2

Gold-whiskered Barbet's picture No. 3

Gold-whiskered Barbet's picture No. 4

Gold-whiskered Barbet's picture No. 5

Gold-whiskered Barbet's picture No. 6

Gold-whiskered Barbet's picture No. 7

Gold-whiskered Barbet's picture No. 8

Gold-whiskered Barbet's picture No. 9

Gold-whiskered Barbet's picture No. 10

Gold-whiskered Barbet's picture No. 11

Gold-whiskered Barbet's picture No. 12

So when you are moving around in low hills, you cannot miss the calls, as this species of Barbet is fairly common. Then again like all Barbets, Gold-whiskered Barbet is no different. Would be hiding among the leaves at the tallest branch to do its calling. One special habits, if it is the fruiting trees that it is after, the birds without apprehension would descend and remain in the open at low height for pictures to betaken.