Psilopogon haemacephalus
Size: 15 – 17cm
Weight: 30 – 53g
Found: It is a resident found in the Indian subcontinent and parts of Southeast Asia. Throughout their wide range they are found in gardens, groves and sparse woodland. Habitats with trees having dead wood suitable for excavation is said to be important.
Description: The red forehead, yellow eye-ring and throat patch with streaked underside and green upper parts make this species fairly distinctive. Juveniles are duller and lack the red patches. The sexes are alike. During the nesting season, the wear and tear on the feathers can cause the plumage of the upper back to appear bluish.
Diet: Prefers banyan, peepul, and other wild figs, various drupes and berries, and the occasional insect, caught in aerial sallies. Petals of flowers may also be included in their diet. They eat nearly 1.5 to nearly 3 times their body weight in berries each day.
Comment: The call is a loud rather metallic tuk…tuk…tuk (or tunk), reminiscent of a copper sheet being beaten, giving the bird its name. Repeated monotonously for long periods, starting with a subdued tuk and building up to an even volume and tempo, the latter varying from 108 to 121 per minute and can continue with as many as 204 notes. They are silent and do not call in winter.
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